www.McGoughandCo.com
131 Central Avenue Whitefish, MT 59937 406-862-9199 800-862-9199
406 contents
Outdoor Women 14 Lizzie Iwersen
Featured Stories
18 paddle boarding
perfect weekends 22 East Glacier
406 Love
HEALTH
60 Eating Disorders
62 prescription hormones 64 Acne mythology 66 Breast health
WELLNESS & Family 68 Mindful Living 70 The Truth About Change 74 Back to school
26 Stacy Gruber & Mark Delorme 30 Love Stories
Art
Food & Flavor
80 Hadley Ferguson
38 Latitude 48° & Red Room
42 Sweet Corn on the Cob
46 Mom's Pantry
home
50 Casey Malmquist
History
54 A Field of One’s Own Part 2
76 Michala Berube
82 Book Review
Finance
84 Cutting Losses
People & Places 86 profiles
S.M. Bradford Co.
Linda Clark Water Mosaic
Jack Potter Chip Davis
Local Businesses Can Be Heroes too Whitefish Community Library
90 406 man
94 happenings
9
Publisher Cindy Gerrity cindy@montanasky.net
Business Manager Daley McDaniel daley@montanasky.net
Creative Director/Layout&Design Sara Joy Pinnell ayourartisan@yahoo.com
Editor Kristen Pulsifer Kristen@whitefishstudycenter.com
Photographer Rachel Catlett rachel@rachellynnphotography.com
Copy Editor/Writer Carole Pinnell queencarolerule@yahoo.com
Staff Photographer Brent Steiner steinerbw@gmail.com
Staff Photographer Daniel Seymour montanasharpeye@gmail.com
On the Cover Madison is a part-time Montana girlis there a better place on earth?!?. She lives and works as a teacher in Calgary, Alberta but has been coming to Whitefish since she was old enough to wear a pair of ski's. When Madison is not teaching, you can find her in the Flathead Valley enjoying the scenery, whether that be through hiking, skiing or running.
Cover Image by: Sara Pinnell (ayourartisan.com)
406 Woman
Published by Skirts Publishing CopyrightŠ2009 Skirts Publishing Published six times a year.
6477 Hwy 93 S Suite 138, Whitefish, MT 59937 406-862-1545 info@406woman.com
View current and past issues of 406 Woman at www.406Woman.com
Contributors Amy May was born and raised in Bozeman, MT, Amy is the newest addition to the Outside Media crew. Equipped with a degree in Print Journalism from the University of Montana, she is passionate about meeting new people and documenting their unique and fascinating adventures. Since college, Amy has worked as a reporter at several community newspapers across the state, including Whitefish, Kalispell, Bozeman and Big Sky. Away from the office, Amy enjoys traveling to faraway places (but always coming home to Montana), pumping iron, reading library books, cooking, gardening and any other Martha Stewartapproved activities. At home in Whitefish with her pound puppy, Nettie, Amy is working towards her master degree in Public Relations.
Erin Blair, Licensed
Charlie Brooks
Alison (Grabau)
Alethea Schaus is a mama, writer and lover of the outdoors. She has contributed writing and photography over the past decade to Big Sky Journal, BSJ Home, Mothering, Mamalode, The West Shore News and online sites related to creativity, ecology, community, adventure and wellness. Raised in Montana, with two decades of living and adventure around the western U.S., she celebrates Montana’s resilient communities. She is the team lead for Celebrate Creative and lives in Whitefish.
Kiersten Alton, RPH,
Pomerantz is a former account executive, middle school English teacher, and writer who recently left the rat race of Boston, Massachusetts with her husband, daughter, two labs and a guinea pig to enjoy all things outdoors in Montana. Alison’s personal and professional interests are diverse, with degrees in journalism and history and Masters degrees in business administration and education. Author of Summit Pioneers, Alison now squeezes freelance writing in amidst the chaos as a stay-at-home mom to an active toddler and new baby. She finds refuge in a vigorous run, a good book and a large glass of wine. Contact her at alisonpomerantz@ me.com.
406
WOMAN 12
Esthetician, is owner of the Skin Therapy Studio. Specializing in the effective treatment of acne and aging, Erin helps people have skin they can be proud of. She has trained with the best Acne Specialists in the country, and now brings world class acne therapy home to the Flathead Valley. Erin resides in Whitefish with her husband and daughter, where they enjoy nine months of winter and three months of company every year. For help with problem skin, visit SkinTherapyStudio.com.
Became a Certified Professional Photographer with PPA, Professional Photographers of America receiving my Master of Photography degree (2005), as well as, Silver Level Photographer of the Year recognition (2006). Currently, I shoot for Horse & Rider magazine, Al Dunning (20 Cutting/ Reining World Championships), and Wylene Wilson (2-time Extreme Mustang Makeover Champion), and others in the Equine Industry. After participating in the Extreme Mustang program last year in Norco, California, I acquired a quarter horse (reiner) and will start showing in the Fall. I am living in Scottsdale, Arizona. My website exhibits both my Landscape and Western Lifestyle photography, www.brooksphotog.com
is a pharmacist at Big Sky Specialty Compounding in Kalispell. She attended pharmacy school at the University of Texas in Austin where she learned about herbs, vitamins, homeopathics and how to make medicines from scratch (compounding). She helps patients reduce or eliminate medications and teaches classes on women’s hormones, environmental toxins, and nutritional and natural medicine for infants and toddlers. Recently Kiersten started an autism support group. For more information, e-mail Kalton@bigskycompounding.com.
Denise Dryden is a
Lee Anne Byrne is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker offering counseling in private practice in Whitefish, Montana. She blends holistic and conventional approaches in her work with adults, adolescents and couples, drawing on her extensive and diverse experience. Lee Anne also offers classes in mindful approaches to our moods. She can be reached at 406-862-1440.
Julia Williamson
Kristen Hamilton
Nancy Kimball
Miriam Singer
Dru Rafkin Jackman
Karin Holder is a
Certified Parent Coach with over 30 years of experience in the fields of education, parent support, and therapeutic placement for adolescents and young adults. Her passion is working with people who are ready to make some changes in their life! After raising three kids she is happily maturing into mid life and enjoys living a balanced life in Whitefish. To contact her, please visit her website at www. DeniseDrydenCoaching.com
traded pipe dreams of being a research biologist for a solid career in print journalism, clutching tightly her degree in journalism and mass communication from Iowa State University. Now she has a new lease on life at Kalispell Regional Medical Center. After a long run in the news business at papers across Iowa and Montana – Kalispell, Columbia Falls and Whitefish – she now is a marketing communications assistant working to get out the word on health care. When she can extract herself from flower beds and the vegetable garden, she just might be found on a mountain, two-wheeling down a back road, skinnyskiing through the woods, paddling on the water or reading a good book. She’s been in Columbia Falls 20 years and plans on another 20.
writes to express her soul. The way words flow and find meaning makes her happy. Like writing, cooking can also be a meditation. And both activities result in being fed. Miriam started writing many years ago as a way of capturing her life’s journey. She learned to cook from her very talented mother and from her own love of creative experimentation while playing with food. She grew up in New York City and went to Brooklyn College. Her journey took her across the country and to homes in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Seattle, Washington, Santa Fe, New Mexico and the Flathead Valley of Montana. Miriam Singer lives in Whitefish, Montana with her partner in life John Simpson who manages Don “K” Subaru. Together they promote music as Singer & Simpson Productions. Miriam sings for the same reason she writes. By the way, Miriam drives a Subaru.
is currently an active senior at the University of Montana – Missoula majoring in Print Journalism with minors in Political Science and Southwest Central Asian Studies. She moved to Whitefish when she was 16 years old, completing her high school career at Whitefish High School, from southern California. Julia loves to be busy and enjoys the fast pace of being a journalist; aside from writing and reading she enjoys being outside no matter the season and traveling around the world. Julia’s latest adventure was to Guatemala City where she worked at an orphanage. Before her trip to Guatemala City, she had traveled to the Dominican Republic for two months teaching English as a second language to poor native children.
is a Certified Personal and Professional Development Coach who started Sane Solutions by Dru in 1998. In her former life, Dru was a script supervisor who worked in the “glamorous” world of television. And although she loved the camaraderie, teamwork and 80-hour weeks, she took a dare from friends and decided to follow her passion of supporting others. She lives in Whitefish with her husband. To contact her, please visit www.solutionsbydru.com.
earned her degree in communications and journalism from the University of NevadaReno. She has lived in the Flathead Valley for over two decades and wouldn’t trade it for the world. With an extensive tourism background in hotel and resort management and most recently as marketing director for the Flathead Beacon, she enjoys working with the business contacts she's gained over the years. So much so, that she and her husband have started their own company, Ham It Up Strategies, to work with associations such as NMWEPI and Friends of the Flathead County Library along with concert promotions planned in the future. In her free time, Kristen likes to hang out with her husband, Bob, and two great kids, Sam and Sarah.
limited Partner and Financial Advisor with Edward Jones Investments. Karin along with Daved, Her husband of 19 years, and her two boys, Warren age 15 and Easton age 10, live in the surrounding Whitefish area. Originally from Virginia, Karin and Daved made Montana their home in 1996 after realizing that they needed to be in and near the great outdoors. City life was not for them! Karin is a fully licensed Financial Advisor who is not only didicated to helping her clients in the local area but across the nation as well. Being a mom, wife and a career woman has given her the insight to help women of all walks and ages to plan for their individual and business financial goals. Karin can be reached by phone (406)862-5454 or at her convenient location 807 Spakane Ave, suite 500, Whitefish, MT.
outdoor woman}Lizzie Iwersen
Rounding the Barrels
Local girl turns love of horses into a broadcasting career By: Alison Pomerantz
406
Photo by Charles E. Brooks.
WOMAN 14
“I’m just a typical horse-crazy girl,” says Lizzie Iwersen, Kalispell native turned host for Equine Live!, a horsefocused program on RFD-TV based out of Nashville, Tennessee. “I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t passionate about horses. It has always been part of my identity.” If passion is defined as a “strong and barely controllable emotion,” then it is easy to say that Iwersen has had the rare privilege of combining what she loves most—a love for horses with a career that allows her to get paid to talk to others about them.
Iwersen always wondered how she might incorporate horses into her career, but claims it was sheer luck that she landed the job at RFDTV. However, when “Rural America’s Most Important Network” needed a liaison between the equine market and a television audience, Iwersen seemed destined for the position. There is a contagious exuberance in watching her— whether it be talking horses on TV or watching her blonde braids fly back against a cloud of dust as she rounds the barrels, grinning from ear-to-ear atop her horse Quikory—her love for riding and all things horse are obvious.
“What I’ve been hired to do at RFD-TV utilizes both my ability to communicate with professionals in the equine industry, and the English degree I earned at the University of Nevada, Reno,” Iwersen explains. “I love my job and now many of the people I have admired and aspired to be like are now people I call friends. I have to pinch myself when I see I’ve missed calls from Tyler Magnus (nine-time competitor at the National Finals Rodeo and winner in 1995) or have a text from Pam Minick (former Miss Rodeo America and recent inductee to the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame). Having those sorts of people in my life now helps keep me focused and gives me goals to work toward.”
Working in the Equine Marketing division of the station, Iwersen’s professional role mirrors the diversity of her personal interests. On air with various RFD-TV equine programmers, she has the opportunity to interview clinicians and facilitate questions from outside callers from all over the United States about horsemanship, training, or technique. She writes for the station’s magazine and travels nationally and internationally—having just returned from Brazil—and then to Amarillo, Texas to visit the American Quarter Horse Association Hall of Fame and Museum. She laughs that she was like “a kid in a candy shop,” being able to immerse herself in the history of her breed of
choice, the American Quarter Horse. Currently she’s organizing 100 palomino horses to accompany RFD-TVs annual float in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California. In addition, one of the most unusual facets of her position is to escort a stuffed Trigger and Bullet, the famous Palomino horse and German Shepherd from The Roy Rogers Show on what RFD calls the “Happy Trails Tour.” The tour takes her to fairs and events around the country so fans of The Roy Rogers Show can have their picture taken with the famous 1950s duo. The youngest of four children, Iwersen worked hard to accomplish whatever goals she set her mind to. While Iwersen’s athleticism enabled her to make her mark as an accomplished snowboarder and tennis player, even winning two state titles for Flathead High, it was ultimately riding horses that captured her heart. Her first real introduction to competition came when she became active in 4-H and began attending a local horse show, “Nervous Novice,” in Columbia Falls
15
outdoor woman}Lizzie Iwersen at age 10. Her mother Teri Iwersen explained how caring for an animal furthered not only her daughter’s interest in horses, but taught important life skills like responsibility and pride of ownership. Paraphrasing a Winston Churchill quote, Teri said, “there is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.”
“High School Rodeo was a great time in my life— and my mom’s as well,” Lizzie recalls. “She and I spent time with great coaches and teachers, wonderful horses and we both made lasting friends.”
Lizzie generously credits both her parents’ support and encouragement for her achievements in the sport, even if her father prefers wielding a tennis racket to a bridle and reins. As you might imagine with its rough and tough image, there are not as many women as men participating in rodeo events, but the interest is growing. Many clinicians have begun offering classes specifically targeted at recruiting women to the sport. The number of women in team roping has been steadily increasing over the past few years.
Iwersen said she fell in love with the overall camaraderie and atmosphere of the rodeos she both attended and competed in while growing up. Giving an overview of the sport of rodeo, she explained that it is generally divided into two basic categories: the rough stock events and the timed events. Professional rodeos comprise of the following events: Bareback Riding, Steer Wrestling, Team Roping, Saddle Bronc Riding, Tie-down roping, Barrel Racing and Bull Riding. Depending on the sanctioning organization and region, other events such as breakaway roping, goat tying, or pole bending also may be a part of some rodeos.
Photo by Allen’s Rodeo Photos
After competing in horse shows for several years, where a rider is subjected to a judge’s opinion, Iwersen discovered the thrill of rodeo sports, where it is just a rider, a horse and a time clock. By the time she purchased a horse from her best friend Ivy Brown, she was addicted. Lizzie and her mom spent many a mile in their truck, hauling to compete in the Montana High School Rodeo Association in barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying and breakaway roping, garnering a few All-Around Cowgirl titles along the way. Shortly after college, Iwersen traveled to New Mexico to learn the nuances of team roping, an event that features a steer and two mounted riders. The first roper is referred to as the "header," the person who ropes the front of the steer, usually around the horns, but it is also legal for the rope to go around the neck, or go around one horn and the nose resulting in what they call a "half head," the second is the "heeler," who ropes the steer by its hind feet, with a five second penalty assessed to the end time if only one leg is caught. Team roping is the only rodeo event where men and women compete equally together in profession-
Many clinicians have begun offering classes specifically targeted at recruiting women to the sport. The number of women in team roping has been steadily increasing over the past few years.
ally sanctioned competition, in both single-gender or mixed-gender teams. Recently, she was featured as a guest on an episode of “All Around Performance Horse,” demonstrating the heading and heeling technique with host John Klam. Despite her busy work schedule, Iwersen stays active in her limited free time as a team roper in Nashville. Most weeknights Iwersen can be found horseback, in the roping pen working to perfect her skills. Many weekends, Iwersen travels to both compete as well as help put on ropings with JX2 Productions, a southern team roping association. The line between work and play has been blissfully blurred for Iwersen. Work may have moved her from her western roots in Montana, where she proudly credits as the launching pad for her current success, but she happily hangs her hat in Tennessee now. She says the South, jam-packed with kind-hearted, friendly folks, is a way of life that suits her well. Practicing her Southern drawl, Iwersen can be heard telling people that she’s ‘Montana raised, but Southern by the Grace of God.’ Smiling broadly, Iwersen admits, “Not a day goes by that I don’t say to myself, ‘I’m a lucky girl.’” Catch Lizzie Iwersen on air by going online to RFDTV.com for the complete programming schedule of Equine Live.
406
WOMAN 16
featured} paddle boarding
G E T UP, S T A N D UP ! Going upright to enjoy Montana’s waterways Written by Amy May - Photos by Karina Ek
With so many rivers, lakes, reservoirs and ponds in Montana, opportunities for fun watersports
adventures abound. Waterskiing, rafting and kayaking may be some of the old stand-bys, but it’s a stand-up addition to the industry that’s turning heads these days. You’ve probably seen the
unmistakable silhouette on a local lake this summer—an upright figure with a long paddle cutting
smoothly over the water at a slow and steady pace. Or perhaps you’ve seen the splash and heard the
laughter of people taking their first crack at the sport. It’s stand-up paddle boarding, and it’s grown in popularity in Montana over the past couple of summers.
Stand-Up Paddling, known as S-U-P or SUP-ing, is the act of standing on a surf board and moving over water using an extra-long canoe-style paddle. Experts say it started as an extension of ocean surfing and has been popular in Hawaii and California for years, but is just now gaining momentum inland.
the class is challenged to keep our minds on the moment,” says Ek. “Not to dwell on the past, not to form expectations for the future... but to be here and now. On the paddle board. On the water. Feeling the openness, strength, and compassion toward ourselves.” “The act of standing and paddling not only fires your quick twitch
Erick Gelbke, from SUP Montana, a paddle board rental service says Montanans have embraced the sport for a number of reasons.
muscles, helping to build balance and grace, but is also a consistent
Karina Ek of Flourish Yoga says SUP-ing has added a new, exciting element to her yoga classes. This summer she has been teaching SUP Yoga. Participants do traditional yoga poses like downward facing dog and warrior pose while floating on paddle boards. “Everyone in
Ek’s studio is in Lakeside, so constantly being near Flathead Lake inspired her to combine her love for paddling and yoga. While men participate in the class as well, Ek says women are especially receptive to the combination. “I find paddle board yoga to be complementing to the feminine energy as we’re on the water, taking the time to draw our awareness inward with peace and patience,” says Ek.
“For starters, it’s great exercise,” says Gelbke. “The act of standing and paddling not only fires your quick twitch muscles, helping to build balance and grace, but is also a consistent core workout.”
406
WOMAN 18
core workout.”
Gelbke says most of the clients who rent paddle boards from him say it’s the upright body position that makes SUP-ing a watersports experience like no other. “It’s totally different from canoeing and kayaking because you’re eyes are positioned much higher. In Montana, where the water is so clear, the things you can see are astounding. The fish, the rocks, the colors you’ll see when the depth changes… it’s a new way of looking at familiar waters,” says Gelbke.
Gelbke says as the market grows, women are making the biggest waves. He says some of the most influential figures in the sport, from athletes to product brand managers to instructors to SUP event coordinators are women. Whether it’s being drawn to the rhythm, beauty or overall physical challenge, Gelbke says women excel at SUP-ing very quickly. “They typically have a lot of patience in learning something new, and women have been paramount in looking at how to advance the sport.”
SUP-ers are also impressed by the small amount of gear that is needed to participate. All that’s necessary is a board, paddle, lifejacket and sunscreen. Boards can be rented at a number of well-known vendors, including SportsmanSki Haus in Whitefish and Kalispell, Strongwater in Missoula, Glacier Outdoor Center in West Glacier or SUP Montana. The state department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks says adult SUP-ers don’t need to wear a life jacket as they paddle, but they do need to have one with them on the board at all times. Indicated by the growing number of enthusiastic participants getting on board, it looks like the SUP movement is in Montana to stay. www.strongwaterkayak.com www.supmontana.com www.sportsmanskihaus.com www.glacierraftco.com www.flourish-yoga.com
19
perfect weekends} East Glacier
Glacier Park Lodge, East Glacier, Montana By: Kristen Hamilton
Getting away close to home can be a real treat when you head to majestic Glacier National Park. Come autumn, the park quiets down a bit and a person literally feels like you have Glacier and all its glory to yourself! Getting away close to home can be a real treat when you head to majestic Glacier National Park. Come autumn, the park quiets down a bit and literally feel like you have Glacier and all its glory to yourself!
Last September, we took advantage of the off-season rates* and planned a mini-getaway at Glacier Park Lodge in East Glacier. It had been awhile since we had ventured on the east side and we wanted to explore as much as possible on our two-day trip.
We packed the cooler and our hiking boots and headed over the Going to the Sun Highway. We had many favorite hikes on the west side and around the Logan Pass summit that we had done many times, so we set our sites on the Many Glacier area as our first stop. We arrived about 11:00am and had decided on the Swift Current Lake Nature Trail. Since our trip was all about relaxing, we didn’t want to overdue it and the 4.8-mile level trail along the lake seemed like a great choice. With our picnic lunch, water bottles and bear spray in hand we enjoyed a beautiful autumn afternoon along the shores of the lake. We followed up our hike with a peaceful canoe ride on the lake. With the water glistening in the sunlight, we soaked in the views and wondered why we didn’t get away more often. Boat rentals and tours are available at the Many Glacier Hotel. It was getting late in the afternoon so we opted to head to our accommodations at East Glacier. We had forgotten how incredible the grounds and the Glacier Park Lodge were. The little pitch ‘n putt nine-hole golf course that surrounds the hotel was vibrant green with wildflowers galore and immaculately manicured. The lobby truly takes your breath away with the immense timbers that support the main lodge. The 60 Douglas fir trees are 36-42 inches in diameter and 40 feet long. After checking in we settled in a nicely appointed room with a balcony overlooking the grounds. We enjoyed a glass of wine on the balcony while we discussed dinner plans. For our first night, we decided to have dinner at Serrano’s in East Glacier. It was a short walk under the railroad bridge and we remembered when Serrano’s had a location in Whitefish and needed a good Mexican food fix. Needless to say we weren’t disappointed and it was a perfect end to a wonderful day.
We followed up our hike with a peaceful canoe ride on the lake. With the water glistening in the sunlight, we soaked in the views and wondered why we didn’t get away more often.
Day two we headed to Two Medicine Valley. It is only a short distance from East Glacier and we wanted to keep the driving to a minimum. As we arrived on the main road, a black bear scrambled across the street in front of us. This definitely served as a reminder not to forget the bear spray on the hike. We chose the Rockwell Falls hike, which was 6.8 miles round trip, and sounded perfect for us without a big climb. It’s so exhilarating to arrive at your destination when hiking and it was a great place to contemplate. Everything in and around Glacier National Park is really spectacular and I found myself counting my blessings as I realized that all of this was right at my backdoor. Even if a weekend getaway with lodging is not in the cards, it’s truly a shame if you don’t take a day trip to any of the areas of the park. After a nice lunch at the falls, we made the return trip to the car and headed back to East Glacier. The late afternoon plan was to play the golf course at the Lodge. The views were gorgeous and the course was in great shape. We really enjoyed our round and deemed it the perfect ending to the day. That night we were treated to a delicious dinner in the hotel at the Great Northern Dining Room. Following dinner we did what most guests seem to do, hang out in the lobby. It’s great for reading, board games, quiet conversation or people watching. We did a little of everything and wished we could have stayed for a week.
The next morning, we headed home via Hwy 2 and Essex to complete our loop. Another favorite spot of ours is the Izaak Walton Inn in Essex and it was the ideal place to stop for lunch on the way home to Kalispell. All in all, our weekend trip could definitely be called the Perfect Weekend!
*Please note that off-season rates are not necessarily available and at the discretion of Glacier Park Inc. for lodging properties. Call for details and possible specials depending on when you are planning your trip. Glacier Park Inc. for lodging, activities and information - www.glacierparkinc.com; 406.892.2525
406
Opposite page photo credits: Top left photo of Many Glacier Valley by Donnie Sexton - Travel Monana. Right top and bottom left photos of Glacier Park Lodge Courtesy of Glacier Park, Inc.. Map courtesy of Montana Office of Tourism.
WOMAN 22
23
406 love}Wedding
Somewhere over the rainbow, where dreams come true
Stacy Gruber & Mark Delorme
S
tacy and Mark met in high school but it wasn’t until Mark returned to the Flathead Valley after college that their fairytale romance began…
Written By Kristen Hamilton
that was over seven years ago. In that time, they both knew they would be married someday. Mark’s proposal came on Stacy’s birthday in November 2009 with the help from one of the two English Bulldogs the couple owns. Mark had found the perfect ring with the help of Lisa from Wheeler’s Jewelry and carefully placed it in Cub’s collar then encouraged Stacy to call him. When she discovered the ring, Mark went down on bended knee and asked Stacy to be his wife. They began planning for a beautiful wedding at the Valley of the Falls at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas with a reception the following week at Mark’s fathers’ home on Foys Lake in Kalispell.
406
Stacy chose Las Vegas for the wedding to ensure sunny, warm weather and they weren’t disappointed. The setting was truly memorizing while Stacy in her beautiful gown walked down the aisle to Pachelbel’s “cannon in D Major”. They were surrounded by 30 close family
WOMAN 26
and friends with five bridesmaids and four groomsmen. Stacy recalls being anxious and filled with excitement but instantly calm when Mark took her hand in front of the officiant. “Even though we’ve been together so long, everything about that moment was right”, she said. Following the nuptials, the couple walked down the aisle together to “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” by Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole. The song was the perfect choice for their new life as husband and wife. Guests then enjoyed an incredible meal at Rick Moonen’s RM Seafood at the Mandalay Bay. They chose a sushi restaurant in memory of their favorite Whitefish spot, Wasabi, which they head to whenever they have a special occasion to celebrate. The Las Vegas wedding was organized with the help of a talented, local wedding planner who helped with every detail including a large photo display of Cub and their other English Bulldog, Cartman, dur-
ing the ceremony. The video tape of the ceremony was prepared for the reception the following week for all the guests that couldn’t attend the wedding. “It was so special to watch the smiles and tears of joy as our guests enjoyed the video”, Stacy said. The following Saturday on a beautiful but chilly September afternoon, Mark and Stacy welcomed 150 people to their reception at Foys Lake. “Everything about the reception was wonderful”, said Stacy. She worked with many local vendors to create a really special event and every one of them went above and beyond the call of duty. Guests enjoyed butler served hors d’oeuvres then a buffet dinner. “It was delicious and very gourmet”, she added. The cake was a masterpiece and tasted as good as it looked. The live entertainment of Sick Pony was a huge hit. Overall, Stacy and Mark are so grateful to everyone that helped make their day special.
This past April, Mark and Stacy celebrated their dream honeymoon in St. Lucia in the Caribbean for two weeks. They said everything about it was incredible and amazing from the golf resort to the scenery to the people. They hope to return again someday…maybe for a 10 year anniversary. Although they are more settled in married life now, after close to a year of marriage, they don’t take anything for granted. Mark works as a Loan Associate at American Homestead Mortgage and has just launched his new electronic coupon business called Epon Me with a few partners. Stacy keeps busy as the Office Manager at Buffalo Hill Golf Course where she has been for the past eight years. In spite of their busy lives, they make time for each other and they are blessed to be best friends. Stacy said their relationship is like PB&J…they fit together!
Catering – Anna McCabe, The Simple Chef - Cake – Meagan Healy, Ganache - Flowers – Leilani Etter, Dalia Farm - Party Rentals – Dennis Johnson, The Party Store - Invitations & Stationary – Tamara Williams, Insty Prints - Hair & Makeup – Missy Fox, An Salon - Entertainment – Sick Pony Engagement & Wedding Rings – Lisa Poler, Wheeler Jewelry
27
LO VE story 406 love}Story
Photo by: Sara Joy Pinnell - A. Yourartisan Photography
Couple: Blaine Platt -works for Stryker Medical. Katrina Cherry - currently attend-
ing graduate school at University of Montana for Masters in Mental Health Counseling. Meeting: At the Whitefish Winter Classic benefit in 2010. What is Love? Love is being able to wake up next to your best friend everyday and randomly, happily crying for reasons such as songs or moments that remind you of one another. What do you love? Katrina- I love that he inspires me to be better, whether that be teaching me how to surf or pushing me through the breakdowns of the GRE. I also find it so adorable/ amazing that he throws fits over the smallest things (like Bruin's slobber) yet nothing in the world is a daunting feat to him. Blaine- Katrina amazes me everyday with her outlook on life, huge heart for others, and her calmness around me that is endless. Many times throughout the day with or without her, I breakout in a smile for many reasons or no reason at all but all because of her.When did you know? Katrina- I knew when I was driving home from Whitefish to return to Bozeman after spending a weekend with him and all I wanted to do was call my friends and parents and boss and dog and tell them how amazing he was. Blaine- There was a portion that was at first sight but, true love struck me on the 4th of July right as the fireworks started off. We were with some of my closest friends and the moment could not have been or felt more perfect. Actually, we have it caught on camera! Right then I knew she was perfect, we where perfect!
406
Wedding Details Rings: Katrina - custom by KK Jense. Blaine - Niessing jewelry l Dress: Maggie Sottero (He hasn't seen it yet!) l Engagement Photographer: A. Yourartisan Photography l Wedding Photographer: Friend of Blaine's, Jean-Marcus Strole with Jean-Marcus Photography l Save the dates: Katz Americas. They are coaster postcards to represent the destination wedding! lLocation, Caterors and Cake: Chabil Mar Villas, Placencia, Belize l Flowers: Solie with Belize Florist l Hair and Makeup: Chabil Mar Villas spa
WOMAN 30   
Photo by: Carrie and Brian Bistodeau- B2 photography
Couple: Nick Baldwin - works as a Project Manager for Beck Drilling in Calgary, AB. Christa- is a high school Phys. Ed and Psychology teacher at Lord Beaverbrook High School in Calgary, where she also coaches the Sr. Girls vball team. Meeting: At the University of Lethbridge during Nick's last year and Christa's first year there. What is Love? Love is choosing to unselfishly give of oneself to another and accept them for who they truly are. What do you love?Christa about Nick - I love his sense of adventure and the way he pushes me outside of my comfort zone to try new things. He is very dependable and gives 100% at everything he does. Nick about Christa - loves her great cooking, her many talents and how she shows her love for him in small ways everyday. Oh yah, and she has a great butt. When did you know? We went on a Romantic "first date" to small surfing town called Tofino. During this date Nick daringly announced to Christa that one day he would marry her. Christa was pleasantly surprised by his brave comment and gave him the chance to make this come true!
Wedding Details Dress: Paloma Blanca (Designer), Sonja's Bridal (shop) l Bridesmaid dresses: Marchesa l Caterors: The Lodge at Whitefish Lake l Cake: Friend Ida Pedrosa l Photographers: Carrie and Brian Bistodeau- B2 photography lLocation: The Lodge at Whitefish Lake, Whitefish, MT lFlowers: Bluegrass Gardens lDJ: Scottie B. Productions, Kalispell, MT l Hair: Soucie & Soucie, Kalispell, MT.
Photo by: Rachel Lynn Photography
o
Couple: Jeshua Glascock - FedEx Express Courier & Emily (Puchta) Glascock - Chiropractic Assistant Meeting: Through mutual friends at a group dinner. What do you love? Jesh: "her kind-heart, good sense of humor, and smile" Emily: "he's genuine, fun to be around, understanding, and he has a good heart" When did you know? Emily: "Even in the first few days of getting to know him I knew I'd found someone special, and it didn't take long for that to turn into a deep love for him" Jesh: "When Emily became more than just a friend and was someone I wanted to spend the rest of my life with" Wedding Details Rings: Wheeler Jewelry and Krinklehorn Gallery l Dress: Rococo's Bridal in Missoula, MT - Destiny brandm l Photography: Rachel Lynn Photographyl Cake: Vicki Brown (family friend)l Flowers: Tarah Hosking (friend)l Venue: Private pavilion in Tally Lake arealDJ: Matt Riley (friend) l Caterer: Bonelli's Bistro
Photo by: Shannon Hollman Photography
Couple: Tanner Falcon, owner of Falcon Window Washing and Chelsey Falcon Assistant Client Services Manager at Onestop Internet, Inc Meeting: Alcoholics Anonymous meeting What is Love? Chelsey- Love is combination of friendship, passion, and devotion. Tanner- Love is caring, sharing, devotion, and the fuzzy feeling you get about that special someone that never seems to go away What do you love? Chelsey- I love his excitement for life and his undying energy and happiness. Tanner- Her smile, her brains, and her body. When did you know it was love? Chelsey- On my birthday when I realized I wanted to be with him forever and loved who I am when I'm with him. Tanner- When my feelings became overwhelming and saying "I like you" no longer expressed how strongly I felt.
Wedding Details l Cake: Debi Cakes l Dress: David's Bridall Location and Caterer: Glacier Presbyterian Campl Photography: Shannon and Jeremie Hollman, Shannon Hollman Photography l Hair: Krystal Heil, J Thomas Salon l Makeup: Nicole Waters, Beauty BarlDJ: RMF Entertainment lNote from Bride: our family and friends helped make our wedding special and by adding their own touch to the flowers, decorations, and even the cake. A wedding on a tight budget can still be perfectly beautiful with help from loved ones!..
food}Restaurant
Tantalize Your Taste Buds at
Latitude 48° & Red Room By Kristen Hamilton - Photos by SharpEye Photography
You can’t help but peak in the windows as you walk past the Latitude 48° restaurant on the corner of Central Avenue & 2nd Street in downtown Whitefish. The atmosphere is bright and reminiscent of an upscale bistro. Starched tablecloths adorn the tables and you instantly notice the chef’s line at the back of the house.
The Red Room, which is touted as an urban basement bar, at Latitude 48° offers a completely different feel. The mood lighting and darker colors along with casual sofa and comfy chair seating encourages conversation and intimacy. Whether you are dining upstairs or heading down to the Red Room, it truly feels like two restaurants in one and you feel welcome as soon as the friendly staff greets you.
“There is truly something for everyone” said Katie Edmiston, Bar & Red Room Manager. Raymond Dickinson, General Manager, agrees and adds “Latitude 48° along with the Red Room Bar offers food, art, music, culture in a social environment that is not typical in this area. “We filled a niche in Whitefish that hadn’t quite been tapped before, adding to the diversity of those well engrained restaurants that make the town what it is today. You’ve got Mambos, Craggy, Wasabi, MacKenzie River to name a few. “ Whether you’re in the mood for a casual evening or feel like dressing up and going out, you’ll fit right in at Latitude 48°. Atmosphere aside, the delicious food and reasonable prices will keep you coming back. Dickinson has assembled a professional, passionate and hard working crew that all have the same goal of treating the customer great while they enjoy an incredible meal.
The seasonal menu features scratch made high quality ingredients and offers “Made in Montana” items whenever possible. Dickinson has an extensive wine background and is a certified sommelier and decided a few years ago to expand his repertoire in the restaurant business. While working in the wine business Dickinson was able to work with local restaurant operators such as Doug Reed, Whitefish Lake Restaurant; Blu Funk, Showthyme; Brad Townsend, Ciao Mambo and Pat Carloss, Tupelo Grill. Grateful for their tutelage and friendship, he works hard to continually hone his craft. 406
WOMAN 38
He hired Executive Chef, James “Travis” Manning who moved to the valley from Jacksonville, Florida three years ago and loves it here. In addition to having a place to showcase his chef’s talents, like many others at Latitude 48°, he loves the outdoors and all the area has to offer.
Together, they have created a dining experience that is not to be missed. It’s hard to pick a specialty of the house but when the staff was pressured to pick a favorite menu item, “Seared Scallops” was at the top of the list. This dish is delectable with tender seared scallops, lima beans, lardons, wilted sorrel, and corn jus. Manning’s favorite is the Seared Duck Breast with charred tomatoes, braised greens, and creamy corn. The entrees on the menu truly offer something for everyone whether seafood, steaks, chicken, lamb or even a burger. The prices for entrees range from $13 to $29 and Dickinson noted that they are proud not to have any items on the menu over $30. The menu also features a great variety of soups, tapas, salads, brick oven pizzas, and pastas. Again, only using the freshest ingredients and scratch made in house. My favorite was the Gamberi Pizza with sautéed shrimp, house pickled jalapenos, lemon confit and a white cream sauce. The flavors are amazing! All menu items feature nice sized portions which completely satisfy. The soups, salads, and tapas features are all under $10. The pizzas range from $10-$13 and the pastas are $14$17. One house specialty is Manning’s own Corn Chowder and he graciously provided the recipe for 406 Woman readers (see end of story). Another specialty is Didier’s Spanish Salad, which is aptly named after Executive Chef Didier Ageorges from Chalk Hill Winery. Manning recently apprenticed under Ageorges for one month and found it to be a great experience.
Every item on the menu is available either upstairs or downstairs in the Red Room. The Red Room attracts later diners who can grab a PBR or a top of the line martini along with a great meal.
Most evenings they are open until midnight and the first three Thursday nights of the month feature local jazz musicians that are attracting quite a following in the basement bar. Edmiston, along with fellow bartenders Amanda John and Chris Fannon said that the locals really enjoy the having something a little different downtown. If you enjoy a martini, they resoundingly recommend the “Thai Me Up” which has become a favorite of customers.
“We filled a niche in Whitefish that hadn’t quite been tapped before, adding to the diversity of those well engrained restaurants that make the town what it is today. You’ve got Mambos, Craggy, Wasabi, MacKenzie River to name a few. “ As you can imagine, with Dickinson’s wine background, the wine list is extensive. It features over 100 bottles to choose from that he has hand chosen for Latitude 48°. Similar to the food offerings, there are options in every price range. Numerous specialty wines are also available by the glass and he greatly enjoys helping wine connoisseurs choose a new favorite. The owner of Latitude 48 is Bill Foley, who shares Dickinson’s passion and commitment for providing a place locals and visitors can relax and be treated to the valley the valley can offer. Dickinson appreciates what Foley has done for the community and also how Foley trusts the vision of the chef and bartenders of Latitude 48°, as well as himself, and has allowed the restaurant and Red Room to evolve and transform into a unique spot in Whitefish. Dickinson and his staff invite you to enjoy a wonderful meal along with a refreshing libation all in a great atmosphere. His motto is to “Under promise and over deliver” which is winning the hearts of new customers every day.
39
food}Latitude 48° & Red Room
Latitude 48 Corn Chowder iNGREDIENTS 5 lbs fresh corn
1 chopped sweet onion
¼ cup chopped garlic 3 bay leaves
Salt and FGBP to taste
Directions
Remove husks and blanch corn in salted water. Remove corn directly from blanching pot to ice bath. While corn cools, medium dice sweet onion and slowly sweat with garlic and bay leaves. While onions cook, cut all corn off the cobs. Reserve the cobs. Once onions are tender, add cobs and water to cover. Simmer until the broth smells and tastes like delicious corn. Remove bay leaves and cobs. Strain off half the liquid and return contents of the strainer back to the pot. Reserve extra liquid. Add corn to pot and puree with immersion blender or food processer. Once corn is pureed, add reserved liquid slowly back until you get the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve over blanched fingerling potato rings and finish with micro greens. Latitude 48° & Red Room Open daily from 5:00pm 147 Central Avenue Whitefish, MT 59937 406-863-2323 www.latitude48bistro.com
food} in the kitchen
Sweet Corn on the Cob A song of summer Text by Miriam Singer
S
Corn on the cob sings a delicious hymn to summer. It’s best fresh since sugars inside the corn begin turning to starch as soon as it is picked. I’ve heard stories of people running from garden to kitchen to cook their corn with minimum time lapse. But it’s not necessary to be that dramatic. Keeping the corn cold in the refrigerator slows the journey from sugar to starch. Just don’t wait too long.
weet corn is picked at the milk stage, and it’s a vegetable. Field corn is a different variety that’s allowed to mature, and it’s a grain. Corn is also called maize which is reflected in it’s scientific name Zea mays from the name maiz the Spanish learned from the Indians who introduced it to them. According to National Science Foundation, ”The earliest physical evidence for domesticated maize ... dates to at least 8,700 calendar years ago, and it was probably domesticated by indigenous peoples in the lowland areas of southwestern Mexico...” Maize evolved from the wild grass teosinte that has ears about three inches tall with only five to twelve kernels enclosed in a very tough shell. Early Mesoamericans developed teosinte through selective breeding through many generations till it developed larger ears and many more softer kernels that lost the tough casing. Later, the Olmec and Mayan Indians cultivated it and worshipped it. By the time the pilgrims began arriving in North America, maize was already a staple of the Native Americans. Corn was once only white until a genetic mutation added carotenoids, and some corn became yellow. Sweet corn is beneficial for its soluble and insoluble fiber. It’s loaded with vitamin C, and has B vitamins including B1 (thiamin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid) and folate. It contains the minerals potassium and magnesium. Yellow corn contains plenty of the antioxidant beta-carotene which our body turns into vitamin A, as well as lutein and zeaxanthin. Cooking corn brings out another antioxidant called ferulic acid.
When buying corn look for bright green husks, fullness, and lots of pale golden silk. The more silk, the more kernels. When you pull back the husk and look at the kernels, they should be milky, plump and in tight rows. If the bottom of the stem has turned brown, the corn is at least two days old.
406
WOMAN 42
I love grilling corn. It’s easy and forgiving. And you get to be outside while the corn steams in its own husk. Here’s how I do it:
Grilled corn on the cob
-Plan on one to two ears of corn per person. Choose corn with the stem attached to the husk. Peel back the husk, and remove as much silk as you can. Then cover the corn again with the husk. Tie with kitchen twine. -Soak the ears of corn in cold water, submerged and weighted, for about a half hour.
-Before removing the corn from its bath, pre-heat the grill. You’re looking for medium heat, around 350 degrees. If using a charcoal grill, let the flames burn down till you can hold your hand over the coals about a foot away for a few seconds. If using a gas grill, turn the burners to medium. -Shake off excess moisture from the corn, place on the grill and cover. Turn the corn every five minutes. It will take from 15 to 30 minutes. It’s done when the kernels are tender.
-I suggest lots of fresh room temperature butter and a sprinkle of salt to bring out the sweet creaminess of the corn. Enjoy!
food}Mom's Pantry
Beginner Pantry
Back to School Yumminess from Mom’s Pantry By Kristen Ledyard Owner/Executive Chef of John’s Angels Catering LLC
i
I hope you have had a wonderful summer with sunshine and fun! Can you believe it is time to go back to school? That does not have to mean old routine lunch menus for your kids. You have done a great job of keeping your pantry stocked, updated, and ready for new ideas. It is time to think about creating exciting, healthy, and temperature safe lunches for the kids. Why should school mean= oooh Mom!?
have had a great opportunity to have a fun filled tasting day with children of all ages. We should all be able to enjoy a simple tasty meal be it for school or a day of hiking. Combining some culinary ideas with just a little artwork will make your lunches something your friends will want the recipes.
Here are a few helpful hints: Freeze a juice box or beverage (except pop) and use it as a way to keep lunches cold. Buy freezer lunch size bags instead of brown for a little extra help in storing food. Use olive oil based salads instead of mayonnaise. Don’t forget to season your lunches, even sandwiches to make flavors pop. Fresh herbs like cilantro and basil really kick up a boring sandwich instead of plain lettuce. Here is a good time to support your local farmer’s market for fresh items. Instead of sandwich bread, use assorted flavored or wheat rolls that are mini sized and give your children two different sandwiches. This promotes healthy carbs and getting a more balanced diet without them making a fuss. The next most important item for a good lunch is the side for the sandwich. Here is another opportunity to introduce new and more importantly friendly flavors.
406
WOMAN 46
Angels’ “Caprese” salad (thumbs up on the scale) Sweet cherry tomatoes - Fresh cantaloupe - Whole mozzarella (buffalo if you can get it) - Fresh basil - Red pepper flakes Salt and pepper - EVOO - Quality balsamic vinegar
Keep the cherry tomatoes whole and in a bowl combine in equal quantities: tomatoes, melon balled cantaloupe pieces, whole cubed mozzarella, and enough basil that you can see it chopped or torn. Add salt and pepper to taste, a small dash red pepper flake, balsamic vinegar, and EVOO. Carefully fold ingredients. Taste and put in lunch size containers. Top with a swirl of EVOO. The cantaloupe is really the secret ingredient the fights the acid and adds sweet flavor. The red pepper is important, not to make it hot, but to make the flavors pop. You will be amazed and children love it (even if they hate tomatoes).
Pasta salad is a great choice, but the type of noodle is extremely important. Penne is the best for our recipe. Kids love the texture and they hold the special dressing. Add lots of “vegetables” like artichoke hearts, sundried tomato, calamata olives, roasted red pepper, then
parmesan, EVOO, and balsamic vinegar. Do not add broccoli and other vegetables. Kids will shy away and you will not accomplish your vegetable goal. Keep the salad more towards true Italian.
Finally, a one “cookie” dessert. Take your favorite granola recipe and turn it into a cookie. The shape says “cookie”, but the ingredients are your fiber most children lack. This was one of the biggest hits. Simply wrap in cling foil and add to make the perfect take away lunch. With times tight and nutrition a priority, why not make exciting lunches for your children? These suggestions will last well in the refrigerator so if your children are making their own, it is a breeze. You might even find that if you keep a few sandwiches and sides prepared, they become a healthy snack when friends come over. Have a wonderful fall and enjoy!
Granola Cookies INGREDIENTS
Photos by: Brent Steiner
2 cups regular oats, uncooked 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 cup butter, melted 2 eggs, beaten 1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels 1 cup dried berry blend fruit 1 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon salt
Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl; stir well. Combine orange juice concentrate
and soda; add to oat mixture, stirring well. Add flour and remaining ingredients, stirring well to combine. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Drop by spoonfuls onto
parchment lined baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool on wire racks. Yield: 6 dozen.
47
design}home
Casey Malmquist By Alethea Schaus - Photos by Heidi Long
Design is about relationship. It may be a relationship with self, others, earth, light, space, materials, texture, food, sound or color. We are able to construct the design of ourselves, our families, a business, our homes and our community. Creation begins as a vision, dream or connection. And the time it takes to move from vision to manifestation does not need to be the chief concern, because the heart of creative design lives in process. And process reveals new relationships, with trust, and new possibilities.
The construction of a home is a journey that requires a trusting,
406
flexible and unified team that is willing to both work and learn together. And as with most things in life, thoughtful design in the beginning makes all the difference. Pulling such teams of craftspeople, designers, builders and subcontractors is one of the traits for which Casey Malmquist has become highly-regarded over the past two decades. Malmquist leads with ecological awareness and collaboration in his consistent choices to build teams with integrity that in turn produce homes of the same caliber. “It is not uncommon to have clients approach their home’s design and creation with a fearful or negative approach to the budget,” says Malmquist. “The cost of a project is inherent in the nature, details and relationships of that particular project, and our job is to reveal those budgets carefully and accurately, and then manage them in an environment of trust. One can’t head into the project with a negative mindset driving the process – in our experience , this can often end up costing more due to a compromised design and execution process.” Malmquist encourages clients to take their time with design before proceeding with any construction. “At the end of the day, if you create a strong team, then the project, and therefore the project’s budget, is going to work.” West of Flathead Lake, near Lake Mary Ronan, Scott and Kerry Nagel’s 2,010 square-foot Northwest Rustic-Modern home is a testament to a creative, curious and collaborative process. In just over a year, the home came together through the work of the Whitefishbased team comprised of Malmquist Construction, with Wayne Sau-
WOMAN 50
rey as Senior Project Manager, Landscape Architect Bruce Boody and Rich Graves, Senior Design Partner with KIBO Group Architecture. When the Nagel’s first discussed ideas about building a rusticmodern home with Casey Malmquist, they didn’t think he would consider building theirs due to his history with luxury homes, nor did they think they could afford a “custom” home. “We had a two-hour conversation that got philosophical quickly,” says Kerry. “I knew we were in the right place. We had plans we'd found on the internet, but we had to start somewhere. Casey guided us away from that and toward ourselves. We did not realize how personal home design could be, and that concept came through loud and clear.” The Nagels researched extensively and read many home design books, such as The Not So Big House, by Sarah Susanka. But they were advised to start yet a little closer to home. “Casey stressed that we take our time and design a house ourselves, utilizing all our own creativity, says Kerry. “He said the best homes are the ones in which the design process is as long as the building process. This spoke loudly to us. We knew, of course, that we would want an architect, but we were free to develop the home's ‘mission statement’.” As a part of the initial process, Malmquist counsels his clients to start with the siting on the property - landscape architect Bruce Boody’s forte – paying close attention to topography. Then comes the time to talk with the builder and move on with design. “Any project I work on, I tell clients to work with Boody,” says Casey. “You know that branch point of the carpenter’s or designer’s
compass that stays on the page, around which the circle is drawn? Well, that’s Boody and a home’s siting choice - we all work around that center.” The Nagels property is forested and somewhat remote, so the team’s expertise and attentiveness to planning in excavation, access and terracing was essential to creating a livable environment year-round. “We did very little compared to most, but the planning of the driveway, retaining walls and public spaces was very important, and having that done right became evident once winter came,” says Kerry. “When spring arrived, and the snow melted into the French drains without issue, all those infrastructure decisions were appreciated.” The couple refers to the house as the “pod house”, which refers to separate rectangular living spaces intended for different functions. Working with Boody and architect Rich Graves, they discovered the correct siting. One would be used for the main living space and sit more forward, with a view of Lake Mary Ronan and an outdoor gathering space and fire pit in front. This building was angled to take advantage of passive solar heating and cooling. Connected by a curving hallway, the second pod was nestled behind, in the trees, and would house the bedrooms, a bathroom and Kerry’s studio. A third 576 square foot building, connected by a roofed breezeway, would be Scott’s wood shop and finishing room and was designed with a loft, electricity and water to be easily converted to additional living space. The single-story and pods design was intended to minimize noise travel. Scott plays the electric guitar and the couple wanted to be able to watch a movie without disturbing the other while reading. Within the main living area is a side room that functions as part of the living room as well as a guest space with a bathroom. Privacy is created by closing the pocket doors facing the living room. A wall bed folds down and a sliding door opens to the back patio. This offers
406
autonomy for guests who often choose to stay rather than drive home or to a hotel. One of the most challenging elements of the project was the construction of the curved hallway that connects the spaces and serves as a gallery for the Nagel’s art collection. “The less expensive connection was L-shaped, the more expensive was a curve,” recalls Kerry. “The curve was fabulous and it was clear that we had to cut costs somewhere in order to make that happen.” The team worked on various solutions to make the design work, including how to incorporate flat windows into a curving wall (the top and bottom of the window frames were curved) and construct a non-cracking stone floor, rather than one of poured concrete. “The biggest challenge was finding the best way to set the stones along the curved breezeway floor,” says Project Manager Wayne Saurey. “We worked through a series of alternatives, including concrete with fiber mesh and iron mesh under the stones, and finally decided on using Gyp-Crete.” Gyp-Crete is lightweight, self-leveling, cures to a solid finish and is more crack-resistant than other options. It is often used in radiant floor heat construction. “When the team balked at a design element, Kerry would ask “why not?” says Malmquist. “That curiosity was infectious and opened up a dialogue.” “Casey was instrumental in putting us on the right design path, and it was his philosophy that really spoke to us,” says the couple. “But the dayto-day work was led by Wayne. It was obvious that he had Casey's total trust and ours as well. The teamwork was great to observe.” The Nagels were also pleased with the budgeting process. Being veteran business-owners themselves (Wasabi Sushi Bar & 419 in Whitefish), they know the value of a good working team and budget. Malmquist has designed an effective budget-prediction tool, using carefully collected data from the company’s two decades of custom home building, based on simplicity rather than complexity. “I keep very accurate cost records and even though there are variations in the scope of projects, there are basic data points to work with in order to form a meaningful budget prediction,” says Malmquist. Malmquist says the team can work with a very basic schematic set of plans, run it through their program and come up with a cost prediction in a matter of hours rather than days. This process has proven workable and accurate for clients and is another way of keeping the process as simple as possible from the start. This method does not mean that the creative process will be stifled later on. On the contrary, it sets up a trusting and transparent environment in which to collaborate. “Casey encouraged us to see each step of the building as its own cre-
WOMAN 52
“When the team balked at a design element, Kerry would ask “why not?” says Malmquist. “That curiosity was infectious and opened up a dialogue.”
ative point of time,” says Kerry. “Each stage answers some questions, and poses others. Changes can be made at any time of building, but to what end? We did not have unlimited funds, and Casey understood that our priorities needed to be re-addressed at various intervals. He balanced these, and came in on budget.” The Nagel’s home was constructed during the thick of the recent economic changes that created strain for many in Northwest Montana. This presented additional challenge to the team and required attentiveness to manage not only the project’s successful progress, but also ensure that all members of the team were doing alright. “It was definitely one of the most challenging times I’ve experienced in terms of management,” says Casey. “Ensuring that communication is transparent during the building process and being realistic about our project load are both very important in order to keep things functioning well.” Much is changing in the design of our communities and homes as a result of shifting economic systems. While some of this change could be viewed as negative, the overall process can also be seen as a balancing of systems that may ultimately offer everyone more unifying experiences. “I think these changes are for the most part a good thing,” says Malmquist. “I know that I am focusing more on the simple things that enhance my life. People are becoming less focused on being isolated in trophy homes, houses are getting smaller and we all seem to be more interested in community again.” Interdependent by design, and creatively related, are we all. Casey Malmquist – President, Malmquist Construction, WF – 406.249.3100 Wayne Saurey – Senior Project Manager, Malmquist Construction, WF - 406.249.4415 Bruce Boody – Landscape Architect, WF Rich Graves – Senior Design Partner, KIBO Group Architecture, WF Scott & Kerry Nagel – Owners of Home – 406.849.6465
history}part two
A Field of One’s Own Excerpt from Montana Women Homesteaders: A Field of One’s Own, edited by Sarah Carter.
They came for money, for land, for family, and for a new life—the single, widowed, divorced, or deserted women who left homes in the East, South, Midwest, and even California to start anew on their own homesteads in Montana.
In Montana Women Homesteaders: A Field of One’s Own ($17.95, Farcountry Press, 2009), historian and author Sarah Carter introduces the voices and images of women who filed on 160- or 320-acre homestead plots in Montana. Many experienced cold, hunger, and desperate loneliness on the plains on their way to “proving up”—but these solo women homesteaders received patents to their land, demonstrating, as homesteader Nan Francis wrote, that “we women didn’t give up so easily.” Photographs, published accounts, family reminiscences, and diaries portray the hardships and joys of these women as they claim their land.
One of the most fascinating journals featured in the book is that of May Vontver, born in 1892 in Sweden. At age twelve, May immigrated to the United States with her brother. Her teachers noted her literary skills, and published her compositions in the school paper. In 1913, she had enough credits to begin her teaching career, and she moved to Montana, where she homesteaded and taught school. For Vontver, homesteading was not a happy or rewarding experience. But it furnished her with material for a moving account and a unique perspective that focuses on the destitution of the people and the land. Vontver died on January 10, 1990, in Seattle.
406
Above Photo: Vontver sitting in front of her “homestead hut,” as she called it. She began living there in the winter of 1917.
WOMAN 54
Featured here is Part 2 of an excerpt from her memoirs. Part 1 appeared June/July issue of 406 Woman.
LAST SUMMER ON MY HOMESTEAD
By the last summer, my third, the drought had driven everyone away. The only one left was the postmaster seven miles away at Little Crooked. The bachelors had been called into the Army for the First World War, and the families who had left the first or second year had no reason to return. So I was all alone, and in order to get water I had to make arrangements with a man who lived on the other side of the post office in what was called the Missouri Breaks, and he promised to bring me my water. However, he said he would have to charge more since he had to make the trip for me alone rather than for several customers. So knowing it was absolutely necessary for me to have this water, the man promised that he would come without fail every two weeks. And he did keep his word and come punctually every two weeks, except for one time. On that particular occasion the man did not come on the appointed day, so I boiled the water left in the barrel, which I usually had to do anyway towards the end of the two weeks. And neither did he show up the following day, but I thought, I am in not too bad a shape, I still have some of this boiled mess that I can use in an emergency, and I have some canned tomatoes and some canned milk, so I did not worry. But when you are afraid you are going to run out of water you get thirstier. I drank my canned liquids and I drank the boiled dregs of water although it was nauseating, but I got through the next couple days. It was not until the water was absolutely gone did I think I had better do something about the situation. The first thing I thought about doing was going down to the abandoned farm that was at the mouth of my canyon where it opened out into the valley. I would see if there would be any water left in their cemented dams. They
also had drilled a well on their place. Now the main reason so many of the homesteaders had left is because their horses had laid down and simply died. The owner of the valley farm had opened up one of the dead horses to see what had caused its death. He had found the belly of the horse full of gravel. The horses had eaten the roots of what little grass there was until they had also filled their stomachs with gravel. Such was the case of my neighbors, the young couple with the two little girls. They had had five horses, four for hauling and one for riding. The last time I saw the husband he had come riding over to my place. He sat bowed down in the saddle like an old man, his four draft horses had died of the gravel and he saw no way except to take his family away. They were the last to leave. I took a bucket and a rope and set out to see what I could find in the valley. Previously I had not ventured down there, the people were gone and I had no wish to face the oppressive heat down there. At least up on the bench where my place was, there was, at times, a slight breeze to cool the air. When I got down to the dams, to my horror I found the dams were completely dry, so I went over to the well. I threw a pebble in and heard it splash so I was quite encouraged and lowered the pail. I could tell the water was not very deep, but I swished the pail around, got as much water in it as I could and pulled it up. In the stagnant water I had drawn up floated a dead mouse. The well had been left uncovered and animals in search of water had come to it, so it was not only thick and unappetizing but seeing the dead mouse in it too, I knew very well I would have to be terribly thirsty before I could drink anything like that. There was nothing to do but go back to the house. I began to think I would have to walk to the dam at the post office where Mr. Marshall had a filter for the water found there. The only trouble, if I went for water, I would drink up, probably, what water I could carry on the trip home. It was late in August and very hot. I considered walking in the cool of the evening when I
The well had been left uncovered and animals in search of water had come to it, so it was not only thick and unappetizing but seeing the dead mouse in it too, I knew very well I would have to be terribly thirsty before I could drink anything like that.
could carry the water better. But when I thought of that I remembered that the rattlesnakes had a liking for stretching out in the wagon ruts and if I walked in the dark, and the snakes were overnighting in the tracks, I couldn’t see them until I was upon them, so that did not seem to be a good idea either. There was nothing to do except wait just one more day. I had nothing except some of that boiled water, which was so horrible, I would just barely moisten my dry lips with it. Finally I went to bed and I slept fitfully and I had dreams. Dreams all about water and all extremely vivid. The first dream I had was that I was at a banquet table, there were chandeliers hanging over the table, there were goblets at every plate and lackeys went around with crystal pitchers pouring water into these goblets and I was so anxious for this lackey to come and fill my glass with water, but before he reached me I awakened. What a nightmare! I resolved not to think any more about water and finally went back to sleep. I had another dream, this time I was by a waterfall and the water came down like the pictures of Niagara Falls and a river flowed away from the waterfall. I hurried to the river, leaned down to drink and woke up again. Again I slept and I had a third dream. This time I was back in Sweden and I was on the way to a little spring that flowed into the lake by which we lived. This spring was noted for having exceptionally good water. As children we went there with our water pails, following a  55
history}Part two
path along a field, then the path cut down to the spring which was quite close to the edge of the lake. It had a sandy bottom and the water was so clear you could see the two holes where it bubbled up. In my dream I was on the path along the oat field, hurrying to the spring. I was so thirsty and I leaned over to drink, but again I awoke. Those three dreams about water I had in succession that night, were a sort of psychic experience to me. (In 1971, I was home in Sweden and remembering how the spring figured in my dream, I again took the path to see if the spring were just like I remembered it but through disuse it had become overgrown with water plants and the sandy bottom was no longer visable.)
scratchy sound on the bottom shiplaps. Out here in the silence where I was aware of every sound, I was instantly alerted. I looked out the window and I could see coming over the raised platform that was my doorstep, a huge triangular snakehead. I immediately got up to see if I had my screen door latched, and it was. So I sat down again and just watched. And this huge flat threecornered head, which I recognized at once as a rattler’s, was followed by a thick, thick body. Very, very slowly he wriggled across the door step, right gainst the threshold, went down the otherside, close to the building, and I saw he was going to go under my window, so while he passed under the window I didn’t see all of him, but I was startled by the thickness of his body. I had read up
The next morning I had no choice except start out for the post office. I wore high laced elk hide walking boots, a wide brimmed hat and long sleeves as protection against the merciless August sun. Just as I started out, in the distance I saw the water man coming. Words could not express my relief. I was anxious to learn what had detained him. He explained his horses had gotten lost and all these days I had been without water, he had been out hunting his horses along the Missouri River. Among the horses’ hoof marks along the river his horses were shod and he was able to track them down that way.
on rattlesnakes in the encyclopedia and according to what I had read, it was seldom that they were more than three or four feet long. So I kept thinking that after awhile I would see the tail of this one and see his rattlers. He did not rattle, the only sound was the scratching, scraping noise. He just continued to slide along, so slowly and so majestically, taking his time, and I kept looking for what should be the end of him but I didN’t see an end. He just came and came and came, still unbelievably thick. I thought to myself, There are no rattlesnakes like this, there are no such rattlesnakes as this one. They can’t be this big according to what I have read. But the thick body kept coming and coming, and finally I saw the rattlers coming, but by that time I was so stunned I didn’t think of counting them. This snake just went on and on and his tail never came in sight until he had turned the corner and his head was out of sight. He must have been longer than the ten foot house. He was so regal and so awe-inspiring I thought to myself, This is the king of all the rattlesnakes, and with all the people gone he is just surveying his domain again. The incredible size of the snake, the slowness with which he crawled along left me weak. From all I had read and from those I had seen, I was not prepared to believe there could be such a monstrous one. When he disappeared, I did not dare to go out. It was frightening thought to imagine encountering him outside. I stayed in a long, long time before I dared to venture out to look
This snake just went on and on and his tail never came in sight until he had turned the corner and his head was out of sight. He must have been longer than the ten foot house.
RATTLESNAKES
The very first time the agent had taken me around to show me the markers and corners of the land, he had stopped short as we were walking along, turned and ran to his car and got his revolver and shot a rattlesnake. This is the first time I had seen and heard a rattlesnake. My most memorable experience with a rattlesnake came during my very last summer on the homestead, and whether it was before or after my experience with the thirst, I do not recall. I was sitting and crotcheting by my one window in my ten foot square house, in the forenoon before the day’s oppressive heat was upon me. I heard something on the outside of my house, as if someone were scratching their fingernails along the rough surface, a 406
WOMAN 56
around, but by that time he had completely disappeared. I don’t think I have ever been so shaken by the sight of any animal as by this stupendous snake and the majesty of his movements. I realized I must not keep this fright, I must not let it keep me from walking around as I had always done, so towards evening when it cooled off I forced myself to walk around outside. I never saw him again and I never knew what became of him. Needless to say, when I later told people about my encounter with this mammoth snake, it is doubtful if they believed me.
END OF HOMESTEADING
Then when fall came, because of the drought I had permission to leave my homestead. Ordinarily, the law stated you had to live there constantly for three years. But every summer the drought persisted and I was permitted to leave to teach during the following two winters. I taught in the gold mining town of Kendall. It was there I began working with primary grades only, enjoyed it and was successful in it. I taught in Kendall for four years and in 1920, I married S. A. Vontver, who had been one of my neighbors, six or seven miles distant from my homestead. Several years afterwards, the Government, realizing what an injustice had been done to those who had lost three years of their lives and wasted whatever they had borrowed to live on, offered to buy back the homesteads from those who wished to sell them. So I listed mine, but the official who replied to my letter said they only bought back homesteads from those who had families. I, who had a profession, was not in need and they would not buy it back. So I still own the land. I have not been back for years and years and I have no desire to go back. The shack eventually blew down and fell into the cellar underneath, so there are no remnants of it. The huge trees that grew in the canyon were subsequently cut down for lumber and fuel, so they also are gone.
Sarah Carter is a professor and H. M. Tory Chair at the University of Alberta’s history and classics department and a member of the faculty of Native studies. The winner of the 2006 Joan Jensen–Darlis Miller Prize for the best article published about women in the Trans-Mississippi West, Carter became a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2007. Her book Montana Women Homesteaders: A Field of One’s Own won a Silver Medal in the 2010 WILLA Literary Awards.
Welcome to Blue Canyon! Enjoy Creative American Cooking Steaks & Seafood in a comfortably sophisticated mountain lodge setting at the Blue Canyon Kitchen & Tavern. Host a party or special event in our Private Dining Room. TAVERN MENU: Begins Daily at 4PM DINNER: Monday - Saturday: 5PM - 10PM Sunday: 4PM - 9PM
406.758.BLUE www.bluecanyonrestaurant.com 1840 US HIGHWAY 93 SOUTH | KALISPELL, MONTANA 59901
Montana Sapphires The New Diamond
Chancey The Parrot
Hart Jewelers Wes Hart Goldsmith
711 Spokane Ave. Whitefish, Montana 59937 406-862-6252 www.HartJewelersWhitefish.com
health} Disorder
Eating Disorders Make food your friend, not your nemesis By Nancy Kimball
You have to travel in order to arrive.
In a world of quick fixes and instant gratification, this advice from Barbi Webber can be hard to swallow. Even so, the daily walk is essential to someone struggling with eating disorders.
W
Webber knows. A survivor of anorexia and bulimia, she dug her own way out of a nightmare of disordered eating – but only after she nearly lost her life to it. Now, 32 years into her personal recovery, she walks out her own advice step by step.
Add that to mothers and fathers who constantly diet and expect their children to watch their weight, and you have a recipe for disaster.
“I never was allowed to fall down, skin my knees and find my own Band-Aid,” as she was growing up, said Webber, BSW, motivational speaker and mentor with the Body Balance program at The Summit Medical Fitness Center in Kalispell. “I was 15 and didn’t know to be strong in my own character.”
Other factors can contribute, the National Eating Disorders Association notes – low self-esteem, troubled personal relationships, cultural pressures that glorify “thinness” and the “perfect body.”
She’d grown up as a sheltered Northern Minnesota girl. When she headed for an East Coast prep school at age 15, she thought being thinner and changing her wardrobe would help her fit in. Her willowy frame never needed lightening, she can see now. But starting a new school in an unfamiliar region was a stressful event in her young life, and she had no coping skills to deal with it.
It’s a typical scenario. A star student starts college and discovers he no longer is the best in the class. The family moves and suddenly the daughter is in a strange, new school for her senior year. Parents divorce. A friend dies. Self-esteem plummets. Triggers can vary for what Webber calls this “perfect storm,” but the impulse to use food as a means of gaining some measure of control still kicks in.
Linda Fredenberg, a registered dietitian who partners with Webber in Body Balance, said eating disorders may be genetic. And scientists still are researching, but they’ve found that in some individuals with eating disorders, brain chemicals that control hunger, appetite and digestion are unbalanced. 406
WOMAN 60
“The food is never the issue,” Fredenberg said. “It’s just a symptom of broader things.”
People with eating disorders tend to be very concerned about outward appearances, she said. Parents may find it hard to seek treatment for a child with an eating disorder because of the embarrassment if people find out. They’re often over-achievers, perfectionists. Not having control of their image simply is unacceptable.
Webber and Fredenberg find that the age barrier is gone, as is any gender distinction. They see children as young as 7 or 9 years old – from chaotic homes, perhaps, or neglect and abuse situations – as well as people in their 70s who have gone untreated for a lifetime or whose retirement brings on a recurrence of an earlier eating disorder. High school boys who no longer are the star athletes may turn to disordered eating to try to regain the thin build or athletic prowess their naturally growing bodies left behind.
Spotting symptoms in a loved one can take some watchfulness. Webber suggested paying attention to statements or signs that he or she doesn’t like his or her body, doesn’t have friends, doesn’t feel likeable, is depressed. They may be physically ill. They may have unexpected weight loss or gain.
Maybe they’ll stop eating as usual or develop fears around certain foods. Fredenberg said worry over fat intake is common. Watch for strange combinations of foods – maybe a can of chow mein vegetables mixed with egg whites for breakfast, or an entire bunch of celery throughout the day and nothing else but diet soda. It’s not uncommon for her to see someone eating just 300 to 500 calories a day.
“The food is never the issue,” Fredenberg said. “It’s just a symptom of broader things.”
They’re surrounded by dislike for themselves,” Webber said. “It often comes from being surrounded by a lack of trust in people and things and relationships around you.”
Both Webber and Fredenberg emphasized the importance of involving a medical doctor who can identify physical problems that may be developing. The dietitian and mentor enter the picture next, along with a fitness trainer and counselor – what Webber calls the healing team.
“The team approach is absolutely harmonious to your healing. They will give you tools for you to continue on your healing journey,” she said. She keeps in close contact with clients by phone and email, but when a student leaves for college or a client moves away with family, “we encourage them to create their own healing team where they live. They can have a support group, they can get help for physical needs, they have that human face to look into their eyes.”
Bottom line: Mentors, dietitians and others can offer support, but the person with eating disorders has to decide to do the work. “They need a strong internal compass to find ways to cope when things don’t go their way,” Fredenberg said. “We are here to help you help yourself,” Webber said. “Not a stitch of this will work if you don’t.”
If you are ready to tackle an eating disorder in your life and want support, call the Body Balance Hope Line at (406) 212-0478.
What Should I Say?
If you worry about your friend’s eating behaviors or attitudes, don’t wait – speak up early with love and support. Try these steps: - Set a time to talk. Make it private and respectful, open and honest. Be caring and supportive.
- Communicate your concerns. Share specific memories of behaviors that concerned you. Explain that these may indicate a need for professional help. - Ask your friend to explore these concerns with a health professional. Perhaps help make the appointment and go along on the first visit.
- Avoid a battle of wills. If your friend won’t acknowledge a problem, restate your thoughts and leave yourself open as a supportive listener. - Avoid placing blame, shame or guilt. Don’t accuse with “you” statements such as “You just need to eat.” Use “I” statements such as “It makes me afraid to hear you vomiting.”
- Avoid giving simple solutions. For example, “If you’d just stop, then everything would be fine!” - Express your continued support. Remind your friend that you care and want your friend to be healthy and happy. Source: National Eating Disorders Association
61
health}prescription
O
ur bodies are unique, so should your prescription hormones.
By Kiersten Alton, RPH. Big Sky Specialty Compounding
If there was available to you customized hormones, perfect for just you, would you want them? Each of us has a slightly different hormonal rhythm. Some of us are crabby two weeks before our menstrual cycle, others only two days before. Some of you may get headaches at certain times of the month, others may get cramps. If you have a history of breast cancer in your family then special care should be taken when deciding which hormones are right for you.
What if I told you that each individual body could be treated individually? Customized, compounded bio-identical hormones are available. There are many prescribers who will write prescriptions for compounded hormones. Many women I work with have tried all the different manufactured hormones and birth control pills without success. Many women are not aware that there is another option. You do not have to walk around and go to bed every night suffering from hot flashes and night sweats. Compounded, Bio-identical Hormone replacement has been available in the U.S. for over 40 years. Recently famous people such as Suzanne Sommers and Oprah have promoted BHRT and made these types of hormones a household name. Bio-Identical Hormones, such as progesterone, testosterone, estrogen and DHEA are derived from wild yams, then synthesized in the lab
406
to be an exact replica of the hormones your ovaries produce. Your body can not tell the difference between these compounded hormones and the ones you make. In addition BHRT can
WOMAN 62
be used topically, on the skin, vaginally or under the tongue. These routes of administration are easier on the liver and more closely resemble the way your body does it.
You might be thinking, “wow, why don’t I know about these types of hormones.” Well, they are not manufactured by a pharmaceutical company so many Doctors are not familiar with them. In order to prescribe BHRT prescribers must learn on their own and attend conferences specific to BHRT. In addition, most practitioners who prescribe BHRT believe in treating the whole patient, diet and lifestyle, being just as important as the hormones. This type of practice takes more time with each patient and it is hard to get reimbursed by insurance companies. Many patients are already working with practitioners who prescribe BHRT when asked. I have been working with women for 14 years now and am still amazed at how much better they feel with a customized hormone approach. I believe education is very important as well. The reason I teach classes each month is to help us better understand our bodies. A patient who eats healthy organic foods will respond better to BHRT and will often times need a lower dose to help with menopausal or PMS symptoms.
If you would like more information about BHRT or would like the names of local prescribers please call or email me.
health}Acne
Acne mythology
By Erin Blair, Licensed Esthetician
Acne has to be one of the most misunderstood conditions on the planet; and, with good reason.
For most of us, acne tends to ‘burn out’, or resolve itself; whether it’s after a brief spell or years of torment. When that day of resolution finally comes, whatever the acne sufferer was doing at the time generally gets the credit.
Additionally, a breakout can take an average of three months to show itself, making it difficult to accurately pinpoint the cause.
406
WOMAN 64
If you or a loved one is dealing with breakouts that aren’t clearing up, you have probably been on the receiving end of a great deal of well intended advice. Most of the advice, unfortunately, does little to help your condition, because it’s largely based on mythology and has nothing to do with evidencebased science. Let’s take a little journey through some of the more common beliefs and see if we can shed some light on the subject.
~ You’ll grow out of it ~
False. While this may be true for some, for others it often leaves them wondering ‘What’s wrong with me?’ Many people suffer with acne well into their middle years. According to a survey done by dermatologists at the University of Alabama-Birmingham: ·50.9% of women in their twenties, and 42.5% of men in their twenties, reported experiencing adult acne ·35.2% of women in their thirties and 20.1% of men in their thirties reported adult acne ·26.3% of women in their forties and 12% of men in their forties reported experiencing acne ·Even in their 50s, 15.3% of women and 7.3% of men reported experiencing acne The belief that it’s only a teenage problem often leads to delayed treatment, which could have saved years of embarrassment, lowered self esteem, and physical scars.
~ It’s the chocolate~
False. And furthermore, it’s not the fries, or the salt on the fries. Foods high in iodine and androgen hormone are a huge culprit. This includes iodized salt, kelp, shellfish, sports drinks and meal supplement bars. Watch for iodine in your vitamin supplements, and drastically cut down on all dairy products. Peanuts, peanut butter, corn oil and wheat germ are also good foods to eliminate from your diet.
~ Too much (or not enough) sex~
Sorry, false. It’s an old one, and it gets you either way. This is the stuff grandmothers lived for, right? I suppose the onset of puberty also signaling the first signs of acne were to blame. No truth to it whatsoever.
~It’s your hygiene~
Wrong. This one is so unfair. Most people with acne will over scrub, because they so badly want to solve the problem. Unfortunately, many cleansers marketed for acne actually have ingredients that will make acne worse. And, for the record, it’s not caused by the natural oils in your hair, either.
~Prescription medication will clear your skin~
A big maybe. Many acne sufferers, not knowing where else to turn, will enlist western medicine when drugstore remedies fail. The first line of defense for many doctors is to prescribe antibiotics, and a patient may be on these for literally years. Topical prescription retinoid (vitamin A derived) creams or gels are common. Spironolactone, a blood pressure medication, is also frequently prescribed, as are birth control pills. Many have heard of the infamous Isotretinoin (Accutane®), which was originally marketed as a last resort medication but has become much more loosely prescribed.
All of these medications come with varying degrees of side effects ranging from mild to life threatening, and very frequently the patient does not experience relief from their acne. My experience has been that the disillusioned acne patient, having tried everything, becomes depressed at the prospect of never finding a solution.
{
{
These tools can be implemented right away, and will lessen the chance of future breakouts.
What you can do today
1. Make sure all your products (cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen, makeup and hair care) are free of pore cloggers. A list of commonly found pore clogging ingredients can be found at SkinTherapyStudio.com in the Clear Skin Acne Therapy section, under Acne Information. Never trust labels; there is no regulation for the wording placed on labels, and even acne products often contain clogging (comedogenic) ingredients! Ditto for ‘oil free’ products, which contain synthetic oils such as isopropyl myristate and myristyl myristate, and they are among the worst offenders. 2. Get enough sleep and reduce your stress. If you don’t, increased male hormones are the result, which leads to breakouts. 3. Eliminate all fabric softeners from your laundry. No exceptions! They are extremely pore clogging.
4. Cut out dairy, salty and prepackaged food, and all fast food. The same goes for peanut products, sushi, shellfish and organ meats. 5. Ice your inflamed breakouts for two minutes, twice per day, rubbing in a circular motion. Do not hold the ice in any one place for more than a few seconds.
6. Check to ensure you are not taking any low-estrogen forms of birth control. These make acne worse.
These tools can be implemented right away, and will lessen the chance of future breakouts, but they are by no means complete. A treatment program that truly works will take into account the whole lifestyle of the acne sufferer, and offer solutions based on science rather than the myths passed down from grandma’s kitchen table. 65
health}Breast health
Breaking down the barriers in breast health By Nancy Kimball
Dianne Oftedahl had a breast cancer scare 15 years ago, when she was living in Bozeman.
“I went through a horrifying six weeks,” waiting for test results and more appointments, she said, before learning the abnormalities in her mammogram were calcifications in her breast tissue. “It’s the not knowing that’s scary.”
“There was really no wait. Everything was just so smooth and so well run; it was amazing,” Bartlett said. She’s already received notice that her results were normal, and plans to establish a relationship with a local doctor.
But a new walk-in clinic at the Bass Breast Center means Oftedahl need never endure that agonizing wait again.
As did Bartlett, many women in the Flathead Valley have turned to Save A Sister over the years for the care they cannot obtain on their own. But Save A Sister’s funds weren’t being tapped, as intended, by locals who are uninsured or underinsured. The walk-in clinic fills that gap by allowing the whole chain of breast health care to be free – the clinical breast exam, mammogram and ultrasound.
Every other Friday, patients may schedule an appointment or simply walk in to see about receiving their own screening. Each patient receives a breast-health exam and a mammogram. If she needs an ultrasound or other diagnostic procedure, she’s scheduled for another date.
So when the career woman and Kalispell native found herself at age 61 and suddenly without a job or health insurance, she headed for the Flathead County Health Department’s women’s health fair in May. There, she was referred to Save A Sister and learned of the walk-in clinic.
The Bass Breast Center and Kalispell Regional Medical Center received a grant from Susan G. Komen for the Cure Montana this spring to begin offering free breast exams and same-day screening mammograms to those who don’t have an established doctor-patient relationship nor insurance to cover screenings.
In the first four sessions after its May 20 launch, the clinic provided 46 procedures to 43 patients. Two of the patients have a history of breast cancer but tight finances prevented them from keeping tabs on potential recurrence. Other patients had gone anywhere from two to 10 years since their last mammogram because they have no insurance and no money to cover screenings. Women in their late 50s and 60s said either that the free clinic screening was their first or that they didn’t know annual mammograms are needed. Jenny Bartlett knew but, now retired and living away from her home state of Texas, didn’t have insurance coverage nor a regular doctor here in Montana.
Some time ago Bartlett spotted an ad for Save A Sister, a local initiative providing free mammograms. The sticking point is that, in order receive the free mammogram, a patient needs a clinical breast exam and a written order from her medical provider. With no doctor, Bartlett was at an impasse. Save A Sister representatives recommended she visit the new clinic when it opened.
On her first visit, she toted along her records of annual screening mammograms in Texas. It’s not that she had a cancer history or other concerns, “but I just didn’t want to let it drop by the wayside because I didn’t have insurance any more,” she said. 406
WOMAN 66
It was a blessing to Oftedahl. She already had lost a close lifelong friend to breast cancer. During her cancer scare of 15 years ago, she learned that her own twin sister never had gone for a screening mammogram, and convinced her to start the screenings.
Oftedahl attended a Friday clinic in July, where Dr. Melissa Hulvat, breast surgeon and medical director of the Bass Breast Center, carried out a breast exam. Her mammogram that day turned up a suspicious formation. Early the next Wednesday, she was back in for a second mammogram and an ultrasound – also done free of charge. Before leaving that appointment, Dr. Debra Wade explained her results and Oftedahl now plans to keep close tabs on her health with a six-month checkup.
“If not for this clinic, it’s probably something I would not do,” she said. “Women like me say, ‘Well, I don’t have the funds so I just won’t go.’ But because it’s available I will keep up on it.” Oftedahl sang the praises of Dr. Hulvat and Dr. Wade for the pivotal roles they played in easing her concerns. And Bartlett agreed.
“Sometimes when you’re able to receive a free service like that, you wonder how the care is going to be and what the care will be,” Bartlett said. “But everybody there was so professional.”
Are you wondering whether this clinic is for you? To schedule an appointment or find the date of the next walk-in clinic, please call Save A Sister toll free at 1-877-399-0384.
Open year-Round
Essex, Montana
406.888.5700
izaakwaltoninn.com
wellness} Mindful living
mindful living By Lee Anne Byrne, LCSW
W
e all walk around in life wearing an invisible set of tinted glasses which color everything we see and experience and therefore, how we respond to life. Exactly what shade of tint we are looking through is a matter of enumerable variables ranging from our biological make-up, to our childhood experiences, to what we had for lunch. With mindful practice, we can shift our tint to one that brings us more joy, contentment and peace. Some of us, because of our particular arrangement of “enumerable variables”, find our lenses bring us up a bit short in the joy, contentment and peace departments. If you find you are one of these people, you might like to try something. Begin to practice pausing to consider what you would LOVE to do for yourself on a particular day. Pick the day ahead and commit to doing something you would LOVE to do for yourself that day, regardless if it feels easy or not when the day arrives. Now, this is a juicy LOVE, not to be confused with pleasant appreciation, “wouldn’t mind to”, or “I could just do this and see what happens”. This is full – on passion!
This is something that comes to you on that particular day (no planning ahead – this is “in the moment”) which totally delights you. No need to make a list ahead of time or be concerned about whether you’ll get it “right”. Just give yourself permission to see what is sitting right there in your LOVE banks that particular day. You may discover that it is something reasonably simple that you have done before, but today you are going to do it mindfully, connecting to the joy of LOVING doing this right now.
406
When I did this I had just returned home from a mindful hike at 6PM on a Sunday night, was hot, tired and sweaty. I’d made the commitment to do this on that day so I simply asked myself, “What would I LOVE to do?” Well, to my surprise, I wanted to put on a skirt, drive to Kalispell and take myself out, alone, for a nice dinner. Now, ordinarily, this would never go through my mind on a Sunday evening after a day of hiking. And, nonetheless, when I just asked myself, without engaging my “logical mind”, I knew what I loved to do that particular evening. It was FAR better than anything my usual mode of thinking would have come up with.
WOMAN 68
I was sooooooo excited driving to the restaurant. I was mindful of every nuance of the experience and loved it all, right down to waiting for a table. I was in alive interaction with being alive. This was not an automatic pilot dinner out like many I’ve had before. This was being present for and loving this experience in my life as if I had never experienced anything like it before.
Well, I was so delighted with this experiment that I decided to do something I would LOVE to do for myself everyday! Sometimes it is something that takes hours like an afternoon spent sitting in a park just being. Other times it takes a minute, like leaving a loving message for an old friend. Whatever it is, I am in juicy communion with life at these moments and feel joy, contentment and peace.
Now, this is a juicy LOVE, not to be confused with pleasant appreciation, “wouldn’t mind to”, or “I could just do this and see what happens”. This is full – on passion!
Better yet, I find that as I have mindfully considered this question, it has begun to interweave itself in a more automatic way into my life. I find myself spontaneously doing more of what I LOVE. Even when I am doing something routine, a sense of loving doing it and gratitude just pops in more frequently. The tint is changing in my lenses.
Sometimes, the shade of tinting on our personal lenses has separated us from the joy of simply being alive. We can become caught up in “This is serious” or, “I must get my list complete” or, “This is routine”, etc. etc. and miss the everyday juicy of life. You can make a decision to change that tint, to let in passion for the very experience of being alive. Start with yourself and what you would LOVE to do today! Allow yourself to LOVE life by exiting the automatic pilot of your old lenses and mindfully trying on a new shade. You may just find, that with mindful practice, your shade makes a permanent change towards the rosey.
wellness} dear dru
The Truth About Change, By Dru Rafkin Jackman, ACC
I don’t know about you but when I hear the word “change” I get a little nervous and uncomfortable. My brain immediately starts churning out thoughts about how the change will affect me; I think about how hard it will be, what I might lose and if I have what it takes to get through it. I worked in the television industry before becoming a Certified Coach. For fifteen years I worked as a script supervisor where an integral part of my job was to keep track of any changes in the script. I made certain that everybody and every department was aware of all changes. I was on top of it and known for my ability to stay calm in the face of chaos. You’d think that after all that experience I must be the master of change. A new scene for the crew and actors just 20 minutes before filming before a live audience?! No problem,. How did I do it? What was my secret? Every time a set of revision pages arrived I would simply think, “Again?! Are you kidding me?! ” Ah, yes the face of calm confidence. Anyone doing research on the effects of change and stress on the body should have had a blood pressure cuff attached to me. Years later I saw that I might have enjoyed my job more and been happier if I had stopped to realize that this was not being done to me, but was simply part of the job. Like a lot of us, I fought change. These days I see similarities with my clients. We schedule our days, hold our breath and hope that things go smoothly. We pray that noth406
WOMAN 70
ing gets in our way and that we will finally get ahead and be able to relax. I once gave a talk on “Mastering Change.” I asked the participants what their first response was to change and they said “frustrated…nervous…anxious”. One woman said she was instinctively excited by change. One out of 39. We need help and support in learning to face change. What if you were to discover that you could face change in ways that are easier on your body, mind and loved ones? What you know about change can save you from the unnecessary doubt, worry, fear and stress. Understanding the qualities of change makes it easier to show up as your best self no matter what the circumstances. Like anything new it takes practice. It’s a new way of thinking for a lot of us. To begin, there are a few things to know about change: · Change is inevitable, it always happens. Everything in and around us changes constantly: our health, our mood, our perception of time, our physical condition, the weather, relationships, political and economic climates, etc. · Change is unpredictable. We don’t get to know how, where or when. · There’s an inherent irony about change, we fear it and we crave it. · We all experience a natural and normal phenomenon of pushback or resistance in response to change. It’s how we are wired.
Now that you recognize the qualities of change, how might you respond the next time it comes along? Here are a few techniques to get you practicing: 1. Identify your natural stopping point in reaction to change. What’s the hardest part about change for you?
2. Know your strengths. In what ways are you helpful to other people who are having a difficult time? If you can show up as compassionate, attentive and loving with others, you can learn to do that for yourself. 3. Think about responding versus reacting. Practice pausing before you speak - take a breath and give yourself the time to respond. 4. Remember that successful people expect change. They use it as an opportunity to create something new. 5. Past experience does not have to be a predictor of future experience. You have a choice. The next time you find yourself reacting to change in a way you don’t like ask yourself, “How might ______ (a person I admire) respond to this?
Change is coming! How are you going to greet the revisions in your life? www.solutionsbydru.com
1895 home of Kalispell’s founding family, Charles and Alicia Conrad, filled with original furnishings, books toys, clothing and effects. Open May 15-Oct 15 Tuesday-Sunday Guided tours on the hour, 10am-5pm, last tour departs at 4pm Adults $8, Seniors $7, Children under 12 $3
2011 Special Events
Summer High Teas-First Saturday of each month FREE Ice Cream Social-4th of July (after parade) Mansion Ghost Tour-Oct 7 Christmas at the Mansion Preview Party-Oct 28 Christmas at the Mansion Holiday Bazaar-Oct 29 & 30
406-755-2166 • www.conradmansion.com Unique Gift Shop & Gardens Open to All!
Located on Woodland Ave. between 3rd & 4th Streets East in Kalispell
family}Back to school
School By Kristen Pulsifer
School. It’s starting soon. I feel as if the theme song to the infamous shark movie “Jaws” should be playing in the background! The beginning of the school year signifies schedule changes, activities starting, and an overabundance of valium prescriptions for moms being dropped of at the local pharmacies. In all seriousness though, it is a stressful time because everyone wants to start the school year off on the right foot. It can be an especially crazy time for our high school seniors as many of them are beginning to think about college. For those who have decided that going to college is the right choice for them, there is a great deal of work that needs to be done.
T
he college application process can be a daunting and intimidating process. There are standardized tests that need to be taken, and taken again…. and even taken again. There are essays to be written, recommendations to be requested and put together – the list goes on. Many students, after deciding that college is in their future, don’t know where to go next in the application process. Parents may also feel just as confused and uninformed, though we would never admit it. So, I have created a basic list to simply move in the right direction for the college application process.
CHOOSING A SCHOOL
1
Decide with your kiddo, whether they want to be in state or out of state. Either choice is wonderful, but something to be decided at the beginning. Staying in state is a great choice for financial reasons and also if your student simply wants to be closer to home. Many students who I council are overwhelmed by the idea of college and all that it entails. They find it less daunting to go somewhere close to home. Others will leave skid marks in the driveway getting out the door and to a college on another continent! It all depends.
2
Think interests. Does your son/daughter already have their heart set on being a doctor, a musician, a professional athlete? Whatever the goal, make sure the school has the programs that interest your child.
3
Think geography. Where would your son/ daughter like to be? Where would you like them to be? Would you like to have a good excuse to visit Hawaii or does your child want to watch their college team win instead lose in football? Very important factors to consider! Seriously though, geography is important. Does your child want to be in either a big city or a small town? Is there a place that is close to extended family that would be more comfortable for your son/daughter? Is weather important? Where are the colleges that suit your child’s primary interests and needs?
4
Size counts. Think about the environment that your child would be the most successful. Would a small school make him/her more comfortable with smaller classrooms and more individual atten-
406
WOMAN 74
tion? Or, would a larger university suit? I feel this is one of the most important things to think about carefully.
5
After discussing these options, start researching. Create a list of colleges using the internet, college books from your local bookstore or library, or local resources such as a college counselor. Write down as many schools as you can that match your needs; but, be prepared to narrow that list down to at most, ten schools.
THE APPLICATION PROCESS
1
Once you have created your list, and then cut that list down to, at most, ten schools, make sure you have created variety. By this I mean, make sure you have schools that fit in all three of the following categories: a) REACH SCHOOLS - Make sure you have one or two schools that would be challenging for your son/daughter to be accepted to. Do not choose to NOT apply just because you think your dream school won’t accept you. You never know. b) REALISTIC SCHOOLS – These are the schools that you can realistically see yourself attending. They may be challenging, but most likely, due to your test scores, GPA, and overall resume, you will be accepted. These are also the schools that you feel will be a good match for you and your needs. c) SAFETY SCHOOLS – these schools are a shoe-in. You know you will get in, and if all else fails, having applied to these schools guarantees you have a college to attend in the fall.
2
Visit schools - If you are able, try to visit as many schools from your list as you can. This will give your child and you the chance to see what the school is all about and speak to a member of the admissions office. Travel is expensive, and time is hard to find, so if you can’t do this, make a strong effort to call and speak with someone in the admissions office. Some schools will set up phone interviews. If they are willing, DO IT! Make your child known in whatever way you all can. Your kiddos will benefit.
3
Test Scores – Make sure all SAT and ACT tests are taken according to application deadlines. I also highly recommend taking both the SAT and ACT test, as they are different formats and though your scores may be less than acceptable to you and your son/daughter with one test, you may be surprised at how well your kiddo does on the other. Also, some schools allow you to actually combine scores from each test. By this I mean, they will allow you to take a strong math score from your SAT and combine it with that outstanding reading and writing score from the ACT. Also, the SAT requires you write an essay, but the ACT makes that portion optional. If writing is not a strong point for you, the ACT may be your test. Look carefully at what your colleges are willing to accept in regards to standardized test scores. You may be pleasantly surprised.
4
Recommendations– each college will require teacher and personal recommendations. Choose wisely, and make sure these people know you well. Past employers, family friends that you have worked with, committee members that have been a partner to you with projects, are all good options.
5
The Essay – Make sure your son/daughter has help with their college essay. Whether it is you as the parents/guardians, a teacher or tutor, it is best to have someone that can at least proofread your child’s work. There are also several great books available that will walk you and your child through the writing process and provide good examples of student essays that depict what to write and what not to write. Also, make sure your son/ daughter writes about who they are. Allow your child’s personality to come through in their essay. Colleges want to know you, as long as you can do it in no more than one page.
There are many other things to think about, but this information will start your family in the right direction. If you have any questions regarding the college application or standardized test process, the counselors at your son/daughter’s school should be able to help quite a bit. Also, feel free to call the Whitefish Study Center, and I will be more than happy to simply answer questions or help you through the whole process.
(406)270-0900 kristen@whitefishstudycenter.com
Michala Berube
art}Photographer
Michala Berube Written by Kristen Hamilton
Michala Berube wants you to enjoy getting your photo taken. She understands that many people are uncomfortable in front of a camera lens and it’s her goal to take a great photo for the memory and to make the process fun.
Michala grew up in North Dakota and graduated with a Professional Photography degree from Ridgewater College in Minnesota. She worked for a couple years in the Midwest but had fallen in love with the mountains years before and chose to make the Flathead Valley home. That was five years ago and she hasn’t looked back. She loves the variety of activities the area has to offer especially in the spring when you might snowmobile one morning and enjoy an afternoon at the lake the next day. It’s apparent when you meet Michala that her active lifestyle agrees with her. Her radiant smile and sincere personality give you a relaxed feeling that puts you at ease especially if posing for a camera isn’t your favorite task. Michala’s favorite subject to photograph is people. Senior portraits, family scenes, and weddings all give her the opportunity to use her artistic talent with traditional and non-traditional shots. She notes that the valley has so many great areas to take advantage of scenic backdrops and natural light to help make her photos shine. Her clients are definitely more relaxed when they are in nature which in turn produces the best photos.
406
While Michala grows her Photo by Mic business, she is focused and ambitious. Like many people in the valley, she works multiple jobs while setting her sites on the ultimate goal of photography all the time. You might see her as a rafting
WOMAN 76
guide with Great Northern Whitewater or as the Marketing Manager for Frontier Builders at Whitefish. She has also been chosen to be the exclusive in-house photographer for a new science based firearms research and manufacturing firm, Proof Research, which recently chose the Flathead Valley as it's international home base. She will be working with an extensive marketing team to help bring these revolutionary new products to an international market audience. Michala will accompany members of their team in August to photograph and participate in a hunt, using these new firearms, in the Northwest Territories for Dall sheep and caribou. Michala notes that all of these assignments are helping her to build her client base and opening doors for a variety of photography projects and the opportunity to expand her resume and grow her business.
Michala’s next step is securing studio space to allow her to take photos when the Montana weather doesn’t want to cooperate. She also knows that this will continue to grow her business and hopefully allow her to focus on photography all the time without juggling multiple jobs. In addition to her investment in her education, Michala is a member of the Professional Photographers Association (PPA) and the Northwest Montana Wedding & Event Professionals (NMWEPI). She welcomes the opportunity to work with you and your family to create art.
Photo By Mic - www.photobymic.com - 406-270-6140
Michala notes that the valley has so many great areas to take advantage of scenic
backdrops and natural light
to help make her photos shine. Her clients are definitely
more relaxed when they are in nature which in turn produces the best photos.
 77
art}artist
Missoula artist diagnosed with Parkinson’s remains positive Written by Julia Williamson
Art has been the life of Hadley Ferguson since her senior year at Hellgate High School in Missoula, now at 34; she is looking at life in a whole new light since her diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease a year ago. Ferguson is known in Missoula for her pieces that hang in various locations throughout the city. Being a Missoula native her seven panel mural, “The Heart of Missoula,” which hangs near the corner of Broadway and North Higgins Avenue means a lot to her. The murals are an illustration of the history of Missoula. Ferguson also has pieces in The Rhino Bar and Worden’s Market Deli. She is currently working on another multi-panel mural for Loyola Sacred Heart High School in Missoula. “This piece has meant a lot to me,” she said. These pieces are depicting the history and heritage behind the Jesuit academic tradition and the ideals of the Sisters of Providence. Parkinson’s is a chronic disease that hits the central nervous system which disrupts the brains’ coordination and control of muscle movement and motor skills. The cause and cure are unknown. At 33, Ferguson began a nearly eight month unknown stage in the medical world. Ferguson went to doctor’s appointments in Missoula for months trying to figure out her diagnosis. After sometime, her doctor diagnosed her
406
WOMAN 80
with Parkinson’s but said she should go for a second opinion to Oregon, with a movement disorder specialist.
On July 13, 2010 Ferguson was officially diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
On her return home from Oregon, she heard about a fundraiser for Parkinson’s with the Bryan Grant Foundation. Ferguson wanted to go, however; the tickets were $1000 per person. She then decided after almost nine months of not holding a paint brush she would donate a painting. She painted a 4-by4-foot acrylic painting of seaside cliffs topped by a lighthouse. The painting is called ‘Standing Strong.’ Ferguson said, “The lighthouse stands watch, it weathers storms and the changing of the tides, but in-between there are many calm moments and beautiful skies.” This is her quote that reflects how she feels about Parkinson’s. The Bryan Grant Foundation then offered Ferguson a seat at the event. Less than a month after her diagnosis she found herself sitting around tables talking to men and women about their diagnoses. Ferguson met Michael J. Fox and Bryan Grant, a former NBA player, who was diagnosed with
Parkinson’s in 2008, at the age of 37. “I met ladies who have Parkinson’s and have gone on to do amazing things,” Ferguson said. Since she attended the event she has continued her involvement with the Bryan Grant Foundation. She is currently working on a 3-day event with the Bryan Grant Foundation to be held in, October 2011, in Missoula. Ferguson said that one goal needs to be to get more resources for patients. “Montana is so isolated from resources,” she said, “I like to give money to them, to get resources.” Almost a year later, Ferguson has continued following her passion for art and is looking at the diagnosis positively. “I don’t think about the future or the past but making everyday up to me,” Ferguson said with a smile on her face. “Tremors are the least difficult of the disease. I spent an hour and a half one morning with a huge fatigue wall,” she said, “Breathing is hard, little movements are slower and my muscles are stiff.” Ferguson and her family are looking at the diagnosis positively. “My husband has been so supportive; he is my number one supporter, along with my family. We both are going forward with a positive mindset,” she said. Her daughter Sarah, 4, is also a continual upbeat of energy and smiles.
“It’s been the ticket to starting the rest of my life,” she said.
81
Book Review Sponsored by
862-9659 - 242 Central Avenue, Whitefish Below Copperleaf Chocolat Co.
The Snowman By: Jo Nesbo BOOK REVIEWS BY JOAN G. SMITH The Nordic mystery writers have quite a club going, and Jo Nesbo is at the top of the list these days in the United States. I read a few of his Nesbo’s other mysteries, The Devil’s Star and The Redbreast, and found them to be thrillers that made you keep turning each page.
The Snowman is more terrifying and involves mental problems that keep you guessing. Harry Hole is the detective with a drinking problem, but an original mind that can see behind the scenes when many other officers and bosses cannot.
Harry’s ex-wife has remarried and taken their son, Oleg, with her. Oleg and Harry are still quite close. Harry and his former wife have their moments as well. I am not sure I will enjoy snowmen in the same way after reading this novel; however, the plot is unique and the book, well written. Harry is Norway’s only expert in serial killers, and he is following a new set of crimes. When a boy wakes up in the night and his mother is gone, he goes out to look for her. Someone has made a snowman out of the
first snowfall of the year, and it is wearing his mother’s pink scarf! As the story progresses, it seems this killer does his deed on the night of the first snow, and makes a snowman. There are some excellent characters in the novel, and I do not predict that you will figure out who the killer is very quickly. I am noticing that the crimes in thrillers have become increasingly more violent, creating a more ‘on the edge of your seat’ read, and this particular novel is no exception.
In the Garden of Beasts By: Erik Larson Erik Larson is in a class by himself when it comes to non-fiction that makes the reader wonder- could this possibly be true?
In the Garden of the Beasts begins in 1933 and charts the events that brought Hitler’s rise to power in Germany. These events are seen through the eyes of William Dodd, a professor from Chicago, and his family. He is finally appointed Ambassador to Germany by Roosevelt. President Roosevelt was having a little trouble finding the right man for the job, as the State Department was aware of changes beginning to appear in Germany that were disturbing to some, especially to those in the U.S. bent on being isolationists. William Dodd, his wife, daughter and son moved to Berlin as a family. Dodd had spent time in Germany as 406
WOMAN 82
a young man and had many pleasant memories. His daughter Martha, was a journalist, and a very attractive young woman. She loved parties, attractive men and soon had many prominent Germans on her dating calendar. This story is told through their eyes, letters and documents. They were innocents for awhile, in a world where everything was beginning to change, but still behind a curtain of charm and tranquility. 1933 was the year that Hitler was Chancellor, but Hindenburg was still President. In this year, the transformation that followed could have been prevented if the important, decent people involved had any idea of the horrific events to follow. Larson makes the reader put aside what we know now from other books and histories of that time, and see through the eyes of
two Americans in the United States Consulate and their – “journey of discovery, transformation, and ultimately deepest heartbreak that lead to a decade of horror and violence.” This is a truly remarkable portrait of a nation in upheaval, under the excuse of returning Germany to a position of pride and power after their defeat in W.W.I.
art} books Children's BOOK REVIEW By Kristen Pulsifer
Ladybug Girl Written and Illustrated by: David Soman and Jacky Davis
Ladybug Girl is a priceless and timeless children’s story. Lulu, in her sweet ladybug costume, and Bingo, the faithful family Bassett Hound, has things to do. One day, while being left to their own devices, the duo encounter make believe sharks in meadow puddles, assist ant colonies that are burdened by large rock obstructions, and repair old brick walls that surround the fields where they play. They prove that though little, they can do anything. As her mother confidently tells Lulu, “You can do anything, Lulu. You’re Ladybug Girl!” Lulu spends much of the story jealous and trying to keep up with her older brother, Max. But, after watching Max and his buddies argue over baseball, Lulu realizes how “it doesn’t really look like that much fun after all. Not the kind of fun Ladybug Girl has.” Lulu realizes that she can have fun on her own and that she is capable of doing anything she sets her mind to doing. Lulu is a wonderful role model for all ages. She demonstrates that all accomplishments are accomplishments, and to never let anyone tell you that you are too little! If you read Ladybug Girl and enjoy, there are several other Ladybug Girl books, such as Ladybug Girl and the Bumblebee Boy, that are well worth reading.
83
finance} Stock
“Cutting Losses” Can Be More Painful Than You Think Why do stock prices fall? Various factors are involved, but in a nutshell, prices drop when more people want to sell stocks than buy them. Conversely, the more people buy a particular stock, the faster that stock’s price will rise. If you’ve studied basic economics and the law of supply and demand, you’ve already got a pretty clear sense of why stock prices move the way they do. And yet while the process sounds fairly logical, the behavior of many investors isn’t. To understand why so many investors have acted in a way that may be counterproductive, let’s look at consumer behavior in another context. Suppose a hypothetical couple, Mike and Mary Ann Jones, bought a house five years ago for $200,000. They still like everything about the house, and it is the right size to meet their family’s needs for many years to come. However, the sharp decline in the housing market has caused Mike and Mary Ann such concern that they decide to sell their house, even though they can get only $160,000 for it. By selling now, they reason, they can avoid further drops, and when the market stabilizes, they 406
WOMAN 84
can buy another house in the same neighborhood.
To sum up: Mike and Mary Ann took a $40,000 loss on a house they didn’t even need to sell. In essence, they were betting that the housing market, against all historical evidence, would not recover enough to compensate them for staying put. Most people would question the rationality of this type of behavior. Yet many of these same people do the same thing when it comes to investments. Specifically, over the past year and a half, they have sold investments — even quality investments — that still met their needs for growth, income or a combination of both. And when they’ve sold these investments, they’ve taken losses — sometimes big losses. Just like Mike and Mary Ann, they thought they needed to sell immediately to avoid bigger setbacks later. Don’t make this mistake. If you weren’t planning on selling your investments before the market decline, why sell them now, possibly locking in a loss? Many successful investors hold the same investments for 20, 30 or 40 years — in fact, sometimes they pass
these investments on to their children, who also hold them for decades.
You may someday need to sell, but do so for the right reasons: a change in your goals or life situation, a need to rebalance your portfolio or a fundamental change in the companies in which you’ve invested. In the meantime, not only should you consider holding on to the investments that still meet your needs, but you should also consider adding investments while the price is so low, if this move is appropriate for your longterm financial goals. This type of behavior takes patience, discipline and faith in our markets — all of which are worthwhile traits to cultivate.
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor
Contact Karin Holder, your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor at (406) 862-5454 Or stop by at 807 Spokane Ave, Suite 500, Whitefish, MT. www.edwardjones.com
406 women}
profiles
S p e c i a lt y S h o p p i n g at i t s BEST
S.M. Bradford Co. W by Kristen Hamilton - Photo by SharpEye Photography
hen you walk into S.M. Bradford Co., you know you’ve arrived in a special place. With two locations in the Flathead Valley and six locations total (four are in Hilton Head Island, SC), Kay and Clayton Emmert have taken the time to create a shopping experience. They started the family run business 29 years ago, and is named after their children Stephanie Michele and Bradford who both are instrumental in keeping the tradition of offering “beautiful things displayed in a beautiful way.”
They settled on the valley after searching for a little mountain spot that was still a hometown. 16 years ago they opened their Bigfork store on Electric Avenue and after many customer requests, they made the decision to expand to Whitefish. The Emmert’s invested in the community by creating a showcase building on Central Avenue using reclaimed railroad trestle wood, once part of the Whitefish railroad, providing a historical aspect to the storefront. The interior is just as magnificent with handcrafted and natural pieces in the shelving, floors, ironwork and antler chandeliers. S.M. Bradford Co. brings a refreshing mix of upscale apparel and accessories for men and women, as well as, fabulous décor to reinvigorate your home. They sincerely want to bring joy, happiness, and a lifted spirit to everyone that comes into their stores. To complete the experience there are always refreshments offered at “The Watering Hole” in the Whitefish store.
Finding unique special items for their retail locations takes time and the buyers are focused on choosing elegant and quality items for their customers. “It’s all in fine taste, regardless of whether it’s a picture frame, footwear, apparel or a piece for the home”, Kay explains. “We truly want to enhance the lives of our customers and friends with the collections we offer as well as the experience within the store”, she adds.
406
In addition to beautiful casual and special occasion apparel lines, S.M. Bradford Co. has many hand made jewelry and accessory lines enabling women to accessorize beautifully. They represent the largest collection of Brighton in the
WOMAN 86
Northwest. Men’s shirts, hats, jeans, jackets, and belts have been exceptionally popular, as well as the hand made Lucchese boots and several fashion shoe lines for both men and women.
The Emmert’s believe that creativity, durability and beauty apply to your home decor as well as the clothes you wear. “How refreshing to have variety in your home,” says Kay. “You need variety in what you set the table with as well as variety in your own personal style.” Custom pieces including the only place in Montana that offers the work of famed Santa Fe artist David DeVary are sure to help you create a spectacular home environment. According to Kay, one of the elements of the business that they are most proud of is their staff in all the stores—many in Hilton Head have been with them for 15 to 23 years. “We have people of integrity who have a passion for what they are doing, work together well, and are excellent in customer service.” Every family member plays an important part in the success of S.M. Bradford Co. Clayton, who received highest honors from Indiana University School of Business, started with banking in Cleveland, Ohio, then became entrepreneurial, owning and developing several varied businesses.
With his financial background, he handles the accounting, budgeting, sales projections, insurance, and tax preparations for each of the six stores. Kay, who has a degree in Telecommunications, and was on the air with the nightly news and weather in Cleveland, has been involved in many organizations. She oversees the buying along with doing staff training and is always striving to improve all elements of the operation. Stephanie’s degree is Fine Arts, and Bradford’s is Marketing. Stephanie is a buyer and does payroll. Her love outside of work is rescuing and fostering dogs. Brad has designed the shop interiors and is continually adding interesting elements, and the “Go To” person, being responsible for the daily operations in each store. Brad and his wife Claudia share a creative flair for buying and merchandising, and although he just celebrated his first birthday, their son, Clayton, has spent quite a bit of time in one shop or the other. “Our customers are important people in our lives and deserve the best. We want their experience with us to be special.” S.M. Bradford – Open Seven Days a Week! 549 Electric Avenue, Bigfork 837-6444 OR 206 Central Avenue, Whitefish 862-6333
Linking
I
Linda Clark
w h at yo u l ov e t o t h e b e au t y o f yo u r h o m e Text by Rita Braun - Photo by SharpEye Photography
t is hard not to become an observer while living in Montana. The state’s wide open spaces offer an abundance of visual experiences. And with the absence of big city centers, business pursuits become entrepreneurial, necessitating a deeper look at how to connect personal skills and talents with businesses and individuals. Know Thyself Creative souls come to life in Montana. Artists know without a shadow of a doubt that to thrive here, nothing big happens without first finding a sense of purpose, then connecting it to landscape and community, and finally, to the well-being of others.
That is the way of Linda Clark, designer of home spaces, supplier of home furnishings, and owner of Montana Expressions West, located in the historic area of downtown Kalispell.
Driven to create a sense of wonder and originality in living environments, Linda avoids uniformity. She stocks her showroom with furnishings whose creations were inspired by a variety of sources: Montana’s landscape; the state’s historic economy of timber and mining; and the creative spirit of her network of artists, furniture craftsmen, and antique vendors located throughout Montana and the rest of the country.
In order to stay at the edge of her creativity, feeding her love of design and artistic expression has become a raison d’être. So she stays flexible and looks for ways to meet diverse design needs, finding equal enthusiasm in helping clients select single furnishings or create complete home designs beginning with the blueprints. Inspired by Color, Texture, Form, and Function Linda distinguishes herself as a keen observer. By noticing qualities of color, texture, form, and function in home furnishings that compliment each other, she is able to assemble items that might originate from a variety of artistic periods and styles, such as Art Deco and rustic western, or combine the traditional with edgy. The result? Extremely livable spaces woven together with a singular design theme expressing what her clients love about life.
Belly Up The Montana Expressions West showroom is located in the former Stockman’s Bar. Now on the historic register, it is charming and a must-see.
Linda preserved the bar, replacing liquor bottles with design books, furniture accessories, and fabric and color swatches.
Share Linda extends her desire to create a sense of wellbeing through interior design to creating a sense of well-being in her community. Through charitable contributions she supports Big Brothers Big Sisters, Coats for Kids, Conrad Mansion, Flathead Valley Food Banks, Flathead Valley Schools, Glacier National Park, Intermountain Children’s Home, Kalispell Chamber of Commerce, Rails to Trails, Rotary Club, and Samaritan House. Linda graduated from Cal Poly University in San
Luis Obispo, CA, in 1981 with a degree in Textiles and Interiors. After relocating to Montana in 1984, she operated her hand-woven clothing business from 1985 to 1991. In 1992 she began working at Montana Expressions, then bought the business in 1996, renaming it to Montana Expressions West. To learn more about Linda’s design services, contact her at 406.756.8555 or info@MontanaExressionsWest.com; or visit her showroom at 123 Main Street, Kalispell, MT, 59901. Business hours: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm MondayFrday; 11:00 am - 4:00 pm Saturday.
87
Water Mosaic
C h e ry l R o b e rt s & P at s y S t i n g e r
C
Text by Kristen Hamilton- Photo by SharpEye Photography
heryl Roberts doesn’t look the part and technically she’s not a plumber but she has over 15 years experience in the industry and can hold her own with a wrench. She is the Showroom Manager and a Sales Consultant for Water Mosaic, a subsidiary of MDM Supply, offering a wide variety of “pretty plumbing”. The showroom is open to the public, contractors, and interior designers in the valley. Patsy Stinger works with Roberts as a Showroom Sales Consultant with over 10 years experience and make quite a team. “I love working here and all the people I get to meet”, Stinger said.
Roberts worked in the plumbing industry in Anchorage before moving to the valley in 1993 when she started with MDM. In 2000, MDM opened the first and only Montana showroom, Water Mosaic, and she was the natural choice to manage the retail store.
Stinger’s father was a plumber and she always had an interest in interior design. After working at Kalispell Regional Hospital for 22 years, she seized the opportunity to work in an industry that she knew well from her childhood and allowed her to follow her passion in design. She points out that although she is not an interior designer, she loves being able to help customers pick items that will work beautifully in their homes. It’s not often that you meet people that truly love their jobs, but certainly, Roberts and Stinger do.
“I still like getting up in the morning and coming to work after 18 years”, Roberts said. Her sincere smile is a welcome sight when you walk in the door. She’s a people person and loves the interaction she has with homeowners and designers to find the perfect faucet or fixture. The valley has offered some wonderful opportunities to work on both big and small projects. “It’s really fun and rewarding to work with the clients to find that perfect fixture to fit in their home”, she added. That spirit has earned her trust with her clients and a great deal of repeat business over the years. Even with the slower economy of late, remodel jobs in particular have kept the Water Mosaic staff busy. “Not one job is the same and it’s exciting to work with clients on upgrading their most valuable asset, their home”, Roberts said.
406
WOMAN 88
The Water Mosaic showroom features multiple rooms displaying simple to extravagant bath and kitchen settings to really give you an idea of how the finished product will look in your home. Many are working displays with operating tubs, faucets, and showers. Since day one, Roberts and Stinger have constructed the displays in the store and when you look around you can see they have a real eye for design. The ownership has invested in the showroom by providing a great space and carrying all the major brands in the industry. Plus, they care about the employees and their growth by allowing them to attend training, shows, and generally just treating them very well. According to Roberts, “I’m where I want to be”.
Roberts has two children (one is a senior at Montana State University and one is a junior at Columbia Falls High School) that have thrived growing up in the area. “It’s a great place to raise a family”, she said. They enjoy anything outdoorsy including hiking, camping, fishing, 4-wheeling, and snowshoeing. She also has a passion for antiquing and loves all the great antique stores in the area. Although strictly a personal pleasure, being familiar with the antique stores in the valley has come in handy with clients too. Just by listening and meeting with a client, Roberts has been able to point them in a direction to find that unique piece that hasn’t been available through other avenues.
Stinger has one daughter who attends Dawson Community College and plays softball there. Getting used to having her out of the house has been difficult but she fills her time enjoying her family, animals, fishing, gardening, watching NASCAR, and traveling with her fiancé. Plus, she said she is constantly redecorating her own house using ideas she gets from working at Water Mosaic and a real passion to keep things looking fresh. Lastly, Roberts and Stinger noted that they love to meet with people and show them around the showroom but encourages you to make an appointment. That way the staff of Water Mosaic can dedicate their time to you in helping choose the perfect faucet or fixture for your largest investment…your home.
Water Mosaic, Fixture and Faucet Gallery 105 Cooperative Way, Kalispell 406-755-1119
406 man} Jack Potter
Jack Potter's
C a r e e r at G l ac i e r N at i o n a l P a r k H a s C e rta i n ly “L e f t a T r ac e ” “T h e C o n s c i e n c e
of
G l ac i e r R e t i r e s ”
A lot of superlatives can be used when talking about Jack Potter: “Unrivaled.” “Go-to expert.” “Walking encyclopedia.” “Jack Pot of information.” “Conscience of Glacier National Park.”
“Irreplaceable.” These are just a few that swirl about any conversation of Potter's peers. 406
WOMAN 90
One thing is undeniable: Jack Potter's 41-year career in Glacier National Park has left an imprint that will benefit generations of future Glacier visitors and current Glacier lovers.
In 1969, 19-year-old Jack Potter departed from the train in East Glacier, the last leg of a journey from western Pennsylvania and made his way to Many Glacier to take a summer job as a busboy at Swiftcurrent Motor Inn. He was hooked. For the next seven years, Potter spent his summers on the Park’s trail crew, and the rest of the year pursuing an undergrad degree in political science at Colgate University in New York, and then a forestry degree from the University of Montana. Potter's love of the Park turned into a permanent gig in 1978, and he has not looked back since; working as Trails Supervisor, Backcountry Supervisor, Assistant Chief Ranger and finally Chief of Science and Resources Management.
41 years later, Potter finally hung up his ranger hat in May and entered retirement. That, of course, has done nothing to keep him out of Glacier. He and his wife, Rachel, just returned from a week in the Belly River, as volunteers at the ranger station; their fourth stint this summer. Once Glacier is in your blood, there's no getting away from it.
Potter's successes in protecting and preserving the Park are universally recognized. He is the winner of numerous awards, including the 2003 Intermountain Regional Director’s Award for Resource Management and the 2007 Department of the Interior Superior Service Award. The National Park Service has recognized him for strengthening the park’s management team with his “in-depth knowledge” of Glacier and the National Park Service mission and objectives, and being committed to the “highest principles of leadership and integrity.” Gov. Brian Schweitzer recently named Potter to the Flathead Basin Commission - a non-regulatory organization created by the Montana Legislature in 1983 to monitor and protect water quality in the Flathead River watershed. A big challenge for the Park in future years, according to Potter, will be the effects of climate change on park resources. In the four decades that Potter has been in Glacier, he has been able to witness these effects first hand. He says the Park’s glaciers have been rapidly receding, and most are expected to disappear within the next 25 years. In the 1970's, Potter's trail clearing work included the trail to Grinnell Glacier. At that time, the glacier was far more significant, and Grinell Lake was only a small pond.
“One of the most graphic changes to me is the formation of that lake at the base of Grinnell,” he said. “I can hardly remember that being there.”
There are very National Park Service employees who spend their entire career in one park. For Potter, that experience, and his continued hunger to learn more and understand more, has given him an unparalleled knowledge of Glacier National Park. He estimates he has covered 25,000 miles in Glacier, hiking every trail in the park, including some that no longer exist.
"Jack Potter knows more about Glacier National Park than any person alive," Said Chas Cartwright, Superintendent of Glacier National Park. "He has been the conscience of the park, and possesses an uncanny sense of what's appropriate and what's not. Indeed he is sorely missed at Glacier National Park. Passion and commitment are what we had with Jack, and passion and commitment are what we need to find as we fill the Chief of Science and Resource Management position. Although I've never believed that any employee is irreplaceable, Jack Potter comes the closest of any person I've known. " Although he has plans to travel more, now that he has retired, Potter wouldn't think of moving away from the Park that has been a part of his life for most of it.
“I will never be able to get Glacier out of my system. I love it as much now as ever.”
Glacier National Park will long carry traces of Jack Potter, too. For the good of us all.
91
406 man} Chip Davis
Chip Davis Linking People And Parks T h ro u g h M u s i c by Gail Jokerst
If anyone deserved the title of Honorary Montanan, it would be Chip Davis, the creative genius behind the musical group Mannheim Steamroller. Davis not only tells anyone who will listen that Montana’s national parks are, “jewels of our world culture,” he also has literally and figuratively put his money where his mouth is.
After the 1988 fires in Yellowstone, Davis and his fellow band members played benefit concerts for two years around the country and released a special Yellowstone CD to raise funds to help rebuild the park’s man-made structures. All totaled, his efforts netted some $800,000, one of the largest private donations ever made to the National Park Service. Now Davis has launched a similar project to support Glacier National Park through the release of his CD, True Wilderness. Davis produced the CD specifically to raise money for the Glacier National Park Fund (GNPF) to use where the need was greatest. “I wanted to give something back to benefit the park’s educational programs, research, and trails,” states Davis, who donated several hundred of the CD’s to the non-profit organization.
The album features Mannheim Steamroller’s signature blend of synthesizers, acoustics, and orchestral backgrounds. Twelve tracks, which Davis felt, “represented the spirit of Glacier,” come from his Fresh Aire series. The melodies
406
WOMAN 92
range from rousing to reflective, which aptly sums up his feelings about wilderness places. Fittingly, the CD opens with a new cut, A Glacier Celebration, to honor the park’s centennial. And it closes with the recently written, Finally.
Of the latter, Davis says, “I hope finally we notice our nature’s works of art. Art and nature are a good mix.” Fans of Glacier National Park have Amy Vanderbilt, Glacier’s former spokesperson, to thank for introducing Davis to the Crown of the Continent.
“Chip has exposed generations of listeners to classical music and educated them by making these scores contemporary,” says Vanderbilt, who coincidentally grew up in the same small Ohio town that Davis did. She has been acquainted with him and his musical compositions since high school when she sang in the choir led by Davis’s father.
“After the Yellowstone fires, I thought: Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Glacier also had an ambassador, a friend, like Mannheim Steamroller?” remembers
Vanderbilt. When she bumped into Davis at a 1999 National Park Service reception in Washington DC, she saw her chance to do more than dream about this. Vanderbilt embarked on what turned out to be an eight-year campaign to bring the very busy Davis to Glacier.
“I saw Chip again at a Christmas concert in Las Vegas and at his father’s memorial service, each time extending the invitation to visit,” recalls Vanderbilt. Her persistence paid off. Davis eventually came in 2007 and fell in love with Glacier. He described it as, “one of the most outrageous national parks in the system and one of the foremost sites in the global environmental community.” “As a composer, arranger, and producer of music, Chip is always trying to figure out the relevance of music in our lives,” says Vanderbilt, who secured permission from Davis to use some of his compositions—at no cost to the park—on the soundtrack of a new film about Going-to-the-Sun Road for the St. Mary Visitor Center.
During Davis’s 2007 visit, Vanderbilt also saw an opportunity to involve the musician more deeply with the park and its centennial by introducing him to the GNPF’s board of directors.
“Chip told me he had long wanted to find another connection with the National Park Service after Yellowstone,” says Vanderbilt. “The fund was the right conduit to expand on a relationship between him and the park into the future.”
In July 2010, Davis contacted Vanderbilt saying he’d written a piece of music inspired by his visit. Vanderbilt put Davis in touch with the GNPF, who asked him to premiere his song, A Glacier Celebration, at that year’s Fall for Glacier fundraiser. He agreed and the idea for a commemorative CD just for Glacier, True Wilderness, took flight.
“I wanted to give something back to benefit the park’s educational programs, research, and trails,”
“Through my music, I try to make an emotional connection with the park to give fans the experience of what it feels like to be here so they want to visit. So many people don’t even know Glacier Park exists,” says Davis. “It’s good to get people involved and it’s important to involve children in their parks. It gives them a sense of compassion for the animals and how things grow. This CD is a way to tell more people the story of what’s here.”
True Wilderness can be purchased through www.mannheimsteamroller. com, The Montana House, a gift shop in Apgar Village, Glacier Park or the GNPF (406-892-3250).
93
406 woman} happenings
406
WOMAN 94
LOCAL BUSINESSES CAN BE HEROES TOO Kalispell, MT. Photos by: SharpEye Photography
L
ocal businesses stepped up to the plate early last spring to help the Fire Fighter One Academy get their 6th week and first live burn training successfully accomplished, according to Logistics Officer and Marion Fire Department Chief James Brower
Fire Fighter One is an 8 week course that provides critical “real life” hands on training for first year fire fighter volunteers in Flathead and Lincoln Counties.
The first live fire training, taught by Tony Bacon, the Battalion Chief at Fisher River Valley FD, took place Saturday in South Kalispell at R & J Wrecking, who donated the site and cars to be blown up and set afire at an outside environment where the fire goes up. The trainees are taught proper hose movements and various nozzle techniques which are designed to build confidence. Next week they’ll learn penciling techniques with their nozzles to knock the fire down consistently that goes up and down inside a controlled structured burn house in Marion. “CHS Propane donated close to 1000 gallons of Propane which we used on Saturday… as they had done 7 out of the last 8 years, we thank them tremendously for their donation” said Brower. “And
where would we hold the live fire training had it not been for R & J Wrecking and their cars. Special thanks goes to South Kalispell and Bigfork Fire Departments as well as the Flathead County Roads and Bridge Department.” Each trainee will earn a Task Book upon completion of the 8 week course. With each individual’s Task Book, their Chief will observe and coach them for one year so they can earn and be awarded their credentials and become a Certified Fire Fighter at the end of that year.
This year’s course is hosted by the Smith Valley Fire Department with invitees from 7 other Fire Departments ( Marion FD, South Kalispell FD, Evergreen FD, Cabinet View FD, Bull Lake FD, and West Kootenai FD. )
“It’s nice to know we can continue to keep our rural communities safe with volunteers and that there are local companies willing to step up to the plate to help…in my opinion, the companies are heroes too” says Brower.
CHS PROPANE DEPARTMENT - 150 1st Avenue West North, Kalispell 755-7400
95
406 woman} happenings
406
WOMAN 96
Whitefish Community Library Hosts Grand Opening Celebration By Alison Pomerantz Photos by Courtney PhotoGraphics
W
ith the lightness of a balloon floating into a cobalt summer sky, the community of Whitefish felt a weight lift from its collective shoulders as more than 500 smiling faces came out to celebrate the grand opening of its newly independent library. On July 1, Whitefish transitioned from a branch of the Flathead County Library System to one dedicated specifically to the greater Whitefish community. After much tension and hard work, the mood of the crowd had obviously shifted, buoyed by an optimistic levity as it prepares to chart its own course. Set against a postcard-perfect background on July 16th, laughter and cheerful conversation rang out in Depot Park, located across from the library’s Spokane Avenue home. Residents and visitors gathered for a festive celebration planned by Whitefish Library Association member Cheryl Hyland and her husband John Otis, the MC for the day’s events. More than 120 volunteers epitomized the word community, like an old fashioned barn raising. Volunteers tirelessly dedicated thousands of hours, of their time, to help set up the library’s operations in the months leading up to its reorganization. And, they also willingly assisted with the entertainment on the day of the big event. The high school drama club dressed as clowns and passed out brightly colored balloons to children getting their faces painted with butterflies or super heroes as the Side Door Resistance jazz band kept toes tapping all afternoon. Story times and a magic show wowed the kids as parents had an opportunity to browse gently used volumes in the Book Nook or purchase a raffle ticket for a chance to win a signed edition from the Montana Authors collection. The proceeds of the book sales and many of the purchased books were donated right back to the shelves of the library for all patrons to enjoy. A complimentary BBQ lunch of burgers, hot dogs and sides, fueled the crowd mid-day as a way for the city to thank its residents and visitors for their loyal support and acknowledge their obvious love of their library. Throughout the afternoon, the Stumptown Historical Society helped visitors walk down memory lane with scrapbooks capturing special moments in the library’s past and awarded prizes to those who could recall random bits of trivia. Those wishing instead to embrace the future had the opportunity to apply for new library cards and fill out surveys about the direction they want the new library to take.
“Many surveys were completed and are still being collected so we can assess what is requested in the new Whitefish Community Library,” said Joey Kositzky, the director of the WCL. The addition of programming requests, operational hours, and other proposed changes are likely to take place based on the data collected. “It is apparent that the community is speaking, and we are hearing you. We will be analyzing the results of the survey and doing everything we can to fill your requests.” Winding down the afternoon with a gracious thank you for the community’s support by WCL Board of Trustees Chairman Michael Collins, the crowd followed Boy Scout Troop 1936 across the street to the front entrance of the library for a formal flag ceremony.
Jake Heckathorn, long-time supporter of the library, gave a moving speech as he handed Kositzky the keys to the library. He said, “We built the building, but Joey Kositzky built the library.” Reiterating the mantra of the WCL, he concluded with these remarks to the crowd: “This is your library. Let us know what you want and we’ll get it done.” With a snip of the red ribbon across the library’s front entrance by Mayor Mike Jenson and his daughter Maritta, who was only 10 when they cut the ribbon 13 years ago at the building’s inaugural dedication, Whitefish proudly reclaimed its community library.
Speaking privately, Kositzky added how privileged she feels to have an opportunity to be a part of the new vision. “I believe strongly in a community-based library,” she explained. “I believe in a library that does not dictate to its community, but listens to it; one that recognizes the national trends, appropriate in some areas, may not necessarily apply to the Whitefish community. As we move forward, I hope we can celebrate the community’s uniqueness and diversity and respond accordingly.”
Contact: Alison Pomerantz Secretary, Whitefish Community Library Board 342 Plantation Drive Kalispell, MT 59901 406-314-4882
97